Dan Underlight is a man in pain. He has always hid himself in his work as a tech executive, but when he’s summarily fired by Olivia, the woman who he thought was his closest friend, he has nothing left to hide behind.
As he starts to rebuild his life, he wrestles with the loss of his ten year old son, which he blames himself for. Although the book focuses on his creation of a social media exchange in which people all over the world can meet online to talk about big issues and create meaningful change, and the business world, we are also present for his troubled relationships with women, his loving friendships with his colleagues, and his realisation of his ideals through his creation.
From the first page, this book really drew me in, and I enjoyed the unconventional character of Dan, and his chasing of the healing that eludes him. I liked his sessions with his therapist, which were really interesting. Marcello has a lovely way with words, and his description of the lives of those in the tech business is really quite insightful.
I think my personal feeling is that the interweaving of the business world, with it’s Game Of Thrones politics, and the processing of grief means that there’s just a little too much going on in this story. For those interested in the emotional parts of the books, the business aspect might feel too long, whilst those interested in the tech world might find the emotional and personal story is explored too much.
However, the books flows well, and explores both the inner and outer world with intelligence, compassion and insight. Marcello clearly did his research when writing this book.
Read It If: you’re fascinated by the social and political changes of the world, and also the inner world of personal growth. It’s a good story.
Rich Marcello is on Facebook and Instagram. You can also see his Goodreads page HERE.
(I was sent this book by the author for review, and all opinions expressed are my own honest impressions)
CravenWild 