Constantly Moving the Bookmark

Addison Goodheart spent his whole life believing he was a monstrosity so horrible that the mere sight of his eyes sent people into such a rage of fear that they were immediately possessed of the notion they had to kill him. Even his own mother, although she did her best for 8 years, eventually felt the need to send him away. Finding his way to the city, happenstance led him to meet another in the same circumstance and the new “father” and son lived hidden away under the city for years. After his “father’s” death Addison ventured out alone one night and came across Gwyneth, also a loner with her own need to hide herself away from humanity. An unlikely and unforeseen friendship developed because they would “hold each other hostage to their eccentricities … they were made for each other”.

Addison immediately and unexplainably feels a need to help Gwyneth, who is quite obviously in some sort of terrible trouble. Neither Addison nor the reader knows just how much trouble they are about to encounter on a dark and snowy night in the non-too-distant future.

This book was not unlike others I have read by Mr. Koontz but I feel it’s his best effort in a long time. Innocence is a beautifully written book. Although this book is definitely a thriller, very much in the vein of Tick Tock, Mr. Koontz manages to paint lovely word pictures in the readers mind. At first it seems as if descriptive passages were just a little too long, but as I continued reading and began to understand that these descriptions were an integral part of Addison’s thinking I could enjoy them as really lovely writing. Addison, as the narrator, never really shares the specifics of place and time leaving much of that part of the setting up to the imagination of the reader. That seemed to work for this story.

Personally, I found this a very dark and, for lack of a better word, spiritual book. Both those elements fit in well with the story told and although I found the ending satisfying it also felt just the tiniest bit “preachy”. Maybe that was on purpose? After all, even Addison compares his story to a fable.

I enjoyed this book. Although their paths certainly do not cross, except in my imagination, I think Addison Goodheart and Odd Thomas would make fine friends.