Roland Allen: Really Random Stuff

Todd Anderson is a gifted writer. I especially like the skilful way that he handles dialogue in Being Good, which avoids the typical pitfall of “first novels” in that it works and is never forced or awkward.

Being Good is a quick read that maintains high tension from start to finish. It’s a page turner that will keep the reader from doing other things.

Slav O Se is a great character: funny, smart, engaging - and a potentially exploding disaster around each corner, but he always manages to pull through with aplomb and on his own terms.

Being Good is a novel that was written for me to read. I’m a “school person” in that my entire career has been in “prestige collection” colleges, universities and prep schools. In just a few pages into Being Good I sent the author an e-mal to find out more about his background because he so accurately “nailed” aspects of independent school culture. At times it was laugh out loud funny. Interim headmaster Thistlethwaite is characteristically old school and out-dated, but the character works well in this novel.

A subtext of the novel takes on is a conversation as to where the line between school-life and private-life for school personnel should be drawn. That’s a large conversation that most likely would not go Slav O Se’s way in real life. But Slav’s triumph is a satisfying and hoped-for outcome in Being Good.

I am left with one haunting question at the end: Why is the creepiest character in the book – besides Thistlethwaite – named Anderson?

I appreciate Todd’s offer to send an electronic copy of Being Good to bloggers and I’m happy to post my thoughts on his novel.

technorati tags: Being+Good, Todd+Anderson