The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick

August 20, 2013

Thirty-eight year old Bartholomew Neil lived with his mother his entire life.  When she is diagnosed with brain cancer and dies because of it, Bartholomew is left lost and alone.  His assigned grief counselor, Wendy, encourages Bartholomew to set new goals for his life (i.e. having a drink at a bar with someone his own age).  Bartholomew believes he has found a way to deal with his loss when he discovers a letter written to his mother from her favorite actor, Richard Gere.  Because his mother loved Richard Gere so much, Bartholomew decides to correspond with the actor and share about his life and struggles.  The letters written to Gere reveal elements of Bartholomew’s past along with his longings for the future and a family of his own.  

My Thoughts: 
As you read Bartholomew’s story you will find a lot of sadness, but you will also find an abounding amount of hope.  The Good Luck of Right Now is written completely in letter format. Each letter is written from Bartholomew to Richard Gere.  While it is unclear whether Bartholomew ever actually sends these letters, it is clear that the correspondence is one-sided.  This was a little weird to me at first, but I soon realized that it was perfect for Bartholomew.   

With this being the third Matthew Quick book I have read in the past month, I have to say that I have yet to be disappointed.  Quick does such a fantastic job of creating characters who are quirky, but also genuine.  His first person narratives allow readers to jump inside the minds of his characters and find their way around.  If you haven’t picked up a Matthew Quick novel, you are definitely missing out. 

Note:  I received an advanced copy of this title via Edelweiss. The Good Luck of Right Now is expected to be published February 14, 2014.  

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