The Essence of Nathan Biddle

Author: J. William Lewis

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Release Date; June 1, 2021

To be trapped in the mind of a confuse

Kit Biddle has been struggling with several things over the last year and it seems that it’s all coming to a head.  He attends a local academy that he has thrived at, but over the last few months his grades have started to drop.  He was a star in athletics and could run faster than anyone, but he just doesn’t care about practicing or participating for that matter.  His girlfriend (perfect in his own mind) feels that she can’t be committed to anyone and needs to play the field before she settles down.  His best friend, usually always good to cheer him up, feels Kit is acting too depressed to deal with.  The bulk of this depression may stem from an act that his uncle committed against his cousin Nathan claiming to be orders from God himself.

Being stuck with Kit as the protagonist made this book rather depressing to read.  As the reader, you see what is going on around him, but he just can’t see it for himself and it got quite infuriating at times.  Plus, being set in the late 1950s, did high school kids really read that much classical literature that would cause them to talk the way they did?  Maybe at this academy they do, but it seemed like something out of a Shakespeare story that was within a Shakespeare story, if you know what I mean.  I did enjoy once Kit started working through everything and seeing things more in the light, which was the point of the story.  I also thought the reference to Don Quixote were very well timed.

There is some occasional language throughout plus two moderately detailed sex scenes in the book.  I recommend this book for mature audiences.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher.  The views and opinions expressed within are my own.