The Sheepish Scribe

A Stand-Up Guy: A Novel by Michael Snyder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Nobody does a better job of depicting the underdog than Mr. Synder. Amidst the abject realty of the characters in this story, with their faults and foibles, their insecurities and insomnia, glimmers a little beacon of hope. If they can make it, anyone can.

Oliver, the wannabe stand up comic, is the quintessential wimp - in every sense of the word. Layer by layer his story is peeled away until we understand how he came to be who is he. I had a hard time liking him and never really got to the point of admiring him, but I came to understand him.

Mattie, who doesn't wannabe the girlfriend, is another complex character who is also not very likeable. She's something of a mystery and her story unfolds more slowly. She breaks all the molds for "typical" story girlfriend.

Through it all, Mr. Synder lights the reader's imagination with colorful word play while twanging the reader's conscience by revealing the reasons behind the characters. Everyone has a story. When you know it, it's easier to understand and to empathize. Too often in our busy everyday lives, we forget that. We look at the outside, we observe the obvious, and we miss their story.