Title: You Dear, Sweet Man
Author: Thomas Neviaser
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fiction
Book Blurb:
The subway ad is enticing. One might even consider it elegant as well. A beautiful woman, sitting atop a desk in a sparsely decorated office, staring directly at Bobby Fastow, a blue-collar worker, on his way to his monotonous yet physically exhausting job. The photograph has an unusual charisma, a spectacular presence. It seemingly leaps off and out of the poster.
Bobby Fastow intensely absorbs the information directed at him. BurgerBlast, his favorite fast food restaurant, famous for quick service and reliable, if not artery-choking fare, is announcing a new name and a new direction.
But, in the world of advertising, nothing is as it seems. What if the line that separates an advertisement from the real world were erased? What if an image stepped from an ad and beckoned you to follow it back, inviting you to melt into its world. Could you resist? Bobby Fastow couldn't, and his decision would turn his world upside down.
My Review:
In the cutthroat world of fast food, owners/board of directors will do anything to stand out, even so far as to blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
Bobby Fastow is an ordinary guy working a dull blue-collar job. He takes the subway to and from work. Something catches his eye so he glances up to see his favorite fast food joint’s latest ad. He’s drawn to the woman in the ad and it seems like she’s staring at him, beckoning him towards her. It’s just an ad, right? Bobby thinks he’s going crazy or maybe he’s working too hard. But everything changes when the woman in the ad steps out and coaxes Bobby into her world. His one decision will alter his world forever because like that old rock song says, you can enter but you can never, ever leave.
What an imaginative, original story! I’ve never read anything like this before and I love that. We’re all a little bit like Bobby, living our normal life while unconsciously being manipulated by marketing and advertising. All hail the slick mad men of today… or not. While the themes are clearly presented, there’s a few underlying ones that make you think about the device-driven world we live in today.
You Dear, Sweet Man by Thomas Neviaser has a diverse bunch of characters and while it might be difficult to follow them all, Neviaser plunges the reader into the psyche of each character without much effort. The character arcs were intriguing plus a few twists and turns I didn’t expect make this a must read. Bobby and Charlie were opposite ends of the spectrum yet their motives behind their actions made this book all the more addictive. A terrific read and thanks to Neviaser, I will never look at ads the same way.
Favorite Character/Quote: Bobby. I really connected with him as a character. From his blue-collar job to how he responds to all that happens to him, it all combines for a riveting experience.
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy it now:
Author Biography:
Dr. Neviaser is a retired orthopaedic surgeon and author of many medical articles, papers, presentations, and contributions to medical texts. He’s written extensively on shoulder conditions, his specialty. He is available as a speaker on most orthopaedic conditions. His dynamic presentations involve a great deal of audience participation and personalized attention to attendees.
Today, Dr. Neviaser devotes his time to writing both fiction and non-fiction books. He is a columnist for the Culpeper Star-Exponent and The Culpeper Times newspapers. You can read his perspectives on family, life, and politics at starexponent.com on an every other Sunday schedule.
Social Media Links:
Website http://www.thomasneviaser.com/
Reviewed by: Mrs. N