Bewilderment by Richard Powers. 

3/5 rating. 278 pages.

Book #1 of 2024. Read January 5, 2024.

This is a novel about an astrobiologist, Theo Byrne and his son, Robin.

The book picks up not too long after Theo’s wife dies. She was an environmentalist who was beloved by all. Unfortunately, her remaining family is really struggling. Robin doesn’t fit in nearly anywhere. He is incredibly bright and inquisitive, but can’t control his temper, and is easily bothered by small issues. When he gets in trouble at school, he is recommended to be put on medication, but Theo looks for an alternative.

Luckily enough there is a new experimental program at University of Wisconsin, where Theo works. This will give Robin the ability to train his brain off of a previous scan of his mother’s.

What follows is nearly miraculous, making him into a maestro in all of his studies. He learns very quickly, is able to control his outbursts and notices nearly everything in nature around him.

The adventure of where this leads and the forces that are looking to stop the scientific process are quite entertaining.

I think my only issue with this book is it was much too closely aligned with today’s world. There is a leader who is only a slightly-veiled version of President Trump that begins to corrode all of democracy around the main characters. I didn’t like the fact that this was too much of a political commentary.

Apart from this, I thought it was a good story and it definitely played on my empathy in seeing Robin and Theo struggle through the ups and downs of an incredibly-hard situation.

Quotes:

“Life is something we need to stop correcting.”

“My wife would have known how to talk to the doctors. Nobody’s perfect, she like to say. But, man, we all fall short so beautifully.”

“The world is going to take this child apart.”

“But the general public, including me, once again proved how good The human brain was at getting used to anything.”

“Stay with me when there’s nothing left. I’ll stay with you. There’ll always be food enough.”

“Life wanted something from us. And time was running out.”

“Dad? Know how the training is rewiring my brain? His wave included all the craziness of the concourse. This is what’s wiring everybody else.”

“Which do you think is bigger? Outer space…? He touched his fingers to my skull. Or inner?“

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