Lottery
Patricia Wood
Reviewed by Susan Wiggs
A few years ago, I got a preview of LOTTERY by Patricia Wood before the author had finished writing it. At the time, she had no agent or publisher, and we were at a writers' retreat. My job that year was to serve as the evening "help desk," which entailed listening to long, rambling pitches by aspiring writers. After a few pitches, my eyes were glazing over.
Then Pat told me about the book she was working on--a mentally challenged man wins the Washington State Lottery, bringing out the best and worst in his friends and family.
I fell in love with the premise, and I knew I was going to love the book. It was sold at auction and published beautifully by Putnam. Patricia Wood delivers solidly on her deceptively simple premise, with a spot-on narrator, the curiously loquacious Perry Crandall, who insists he is not retarded, because his IQ clocks in at 76, and the official cut-off is 75. Raised by his hilarious, foul-mouthed, plainspoken and loving Gram, he works at a marina near Seattle with a motley group of friends and associates. Perry has a clear-eyed view of the world and a love of routine that forever changes when tragedy strikes. As he tries to regroup, he clings to old habits, which include playing PowerBall.
Woods's retelling of Perry's $12 million jackpot is informed by real life--her father won the Washington State Lottery in the 1990s. The discovery of the matching numbers, the claiming of the prize and the flood of attention afterward makes for absorbing reading because, be honest, hasn't this "what-if" occurred to everyone?
Although the arrival of the circling buzzards is predictable, Woods has a knack for giving the reader scenes and and characters that beautifully capture the essence of Perry's journey from obscurity to celebrity. In this telling, the buzzards are his "cousin-brothers" and other family members who previously barely acknowledged Perry's existence. His slow, deliberate discovery of who his friends are, and what he's capable of, will have you reaching for the Kleenex.
The choices Perry makes are informed by his innate humanity, which is all the stronger because of his simplicity. Woods gives us the most endearing character of the year in a big-hearted novel of laughter, love, loyalty and the surprising wisdom that comes from the most unexpected sources.
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About the Reviewer:
Susan Wiggs's latest novel is the New York Times bestseller, DOCKSIDE. She has 3 RITA Awards, 2 feature film options, a master's degree and a lifelong love affair with the written word. She has taught writing at every level, from second-graders and advanced fiction writers at major conferences. Currently, Susan is in charge of programs for Field's End (www.fieldsend.org), a writers' community. She lives on the beach on an island in Puget Sound and her life, like her books, is filled with friends, family and the inevitable canine companion. Please find her on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
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