To Rise Again at a Decent Hour

February 17, 2014
Paul O’Rourke, the main character of Ferris’s (Then We Came to the End) new book, is a dentist. And he’s a good one, informed and informative—even if the mouths that once seemed so erotic have devolved into caves of bacteria, pain, and lurking death. Ferris depicts Paul’s difficulties: in the workplace, he struggles to say good morning, has problems with the office manager (who’s also his ex-girlfriend), and likewise has problems with the devout Catholic hygienist, who can’t see why he doesn’t believe. A constant ruminator and obsessive Red Sox fan, Paul would like to believe and belong, but he can’t. And then the Ulms, who claim to be followers of Amalek (a figure from the Old Testament), hijack his Internet presence and claims him as their own. As an angry and incredulous Paul reads “his” tweets, learns about the unlikely history of the Ulms, and tries to figure out what it all means, readers may find themselves questioning whether the drama of the Ulms amounts to much. Paul is an appealing—albeit self-involved—everyman, but Ferris’s effort to take on big topics (existential doubt, grief, identity, the Internet, the lure and limits of religion, and the struggle to floss in the face of life’s meaninglessness) feels more like a set of thought experiments than an organic or character-driven story. Agent: Julie Barer, Barer Literary.

Narrator Campbell Scott's understated performance is a perfect match for the protagonist of this introspective novel. Manhattan dentist Paul O'Rourke is a bit of a misfit; his atheism and avoidance of social media are the least of his quirks. When his online identity is taken over by a fringe religious sect, he's forced to confront some of his deepest convictions. Scott's subtle inflections reflect O'Rourke's narrow emotional range, bringing listeners along as the dentist's initial discomfort at his stolen identity slowly morphs into curiosity about why he's become a target. While Scott's admirable narration can't bring unity to the book's disjointed conclusion, listeners will appreciate Scott's skill at transitioning between conversation, thoughts, and religious texts. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine