Best Boy

Starred review from June 1, 2015
Todd Aaron has lived at the Payton Living Center, a therapeutic community for those with autism, for more than 40 years. Known as the “village elder,” he passes his time working with the center’s grounds crew, or serving hot lunch at a local school. But when a new roommate, the brain-injured, abrasive Tommy Doon, and a new staff member, Mike Hinton, suddenly appear, Todd’s quiet existence begins to unravel. Mike reminds Todd of his abusive dead father and uses Todd as cover to assist him in devious acts, while Tommy spends his time yelling at Todd and searching for whatever dark secrets his roommates may have. Added to this is the arrival of Martine, a one-eyed resident who takes a shine to Todd, and whom he admires. Pressure builds, and Todd decides his best option is to escape the center and make his way back to his hometown and his wealthy brother. The latest from Gottlieb (The Boy Who Went Away) is written through the perspective of Todd: his voice is spectacular, oscillating between casual and obsessive and frequently challenging the stereotypes that haunt those with autism and similar conditions. The story will appeal to a very broad range of readers: it’s a fast read, and the plot is never less than captivating. Some narrative threads dissolve, but the conclusion is very satisfying, and Gottlieb’s attention to crafting Todd’s internal monologue is something to behold.

May 15, 2015

Gottlieb's prize-winning 1997 debut novel, The Boy Who Went Away, told the complex, heartbreaking story of a family struggling to raise an autistic child. By the end of the story, it becomes clear that the family will have to institutionalize their young son. In some important ways, Gottlieb's powerful and engaging new work--also about autism--is a sequel to that first book. The narrator is an autistic man, Todd Aaron, who has been living in therapeutic communities for over 40 years. In some ways, Todd is the young son from that first novel, now over 50 years old. Gottlieb has created something quite exceptional in this character. His interior life and psychology are convincingly drawn. He is beset with fears, confusions, and misunderstandings--along with disturbing memories and violent emotions--and these are described with great sympathy and insight. The novel is about Todd's daily life at Payton Living Center and his increasingly urgent yearning to return "home." Although he suffers many indignities and cruelties, life is made endurable by memories of his departed mother, whose wisdom and kindness shine throughout the novel. VERDICT A deeply moving portrait of a kind and gentle soul. Recommended for all readers. [See Prepub Alert, 3/2/15.]--Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT

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