The Echo Maker--Book Review

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The Echo Maker: A Novel. Richard Powers. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. New York, New York. 2006.

Book review by Jane
This book accomplishes a few things: it presents interesting information about preservation of wildlife, and medical wonders, as well as what it is like to have a serious brain injury. One of the main characters is in an accident and suffers from Capgras, which meant he didn't recognize certain people except as imposters of his life before the accident. His only living relative, his sister; and his dog were unrecognizable to him. This of course hurt the sister considerably. There are several conspiracies going on according to the patient, as well. He finds two caregivers that he trusts in the story, and they help move things along.

I found some of the medical information to be above my head, but presented mostly in a manner which could be understood with some in depth reading and concentration. It was also presented in case studies, which helped with clarity. The medical professions have too much blood and gore for me to be comfortable with for the most part, but the things that happen to people with brain injuries were still interesting.

The doctor in the story who visited the patient was believable, but had so many problems of his own that it was amazing he was any help at all. He really was in it for his own reasons at the beginning. I guess the reason why he had so much on his plate was to be a more rounded character. Which, the characters were well rounded and believable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in brain functions and possibly wildlife issues. I found the side story of the birds to be interesting, and the efforts of the sister and her boyfriend to protect them. The major theme is centered around the patient, but the wildlife and the patient are tied together in several ways. The book confronts what is happening to wildlife now with the story in mind.

Jane.

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Would you like to see more reviews like this one? Jane of Book Reader's Traverse prefers to scan the library database for books to read, grabbing titles from many sources. She reviews many non-fiction titles, as well as some fiction of the day. Visit her picks page for her bio and other reviews--Jane's Picks.

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