My Uncle's New Eyes

by Joseph Hirsch

Description

When Michael Reeves gets suspended from the rural Arizona boarding school/rehab facility where his rich stepfather put him, Mike’s mom, at her wit’s end, sends him to live with a family member who has a hacienda in the countryside. Enter Uncle Jimmy. Michael’s great-uncle Jimmy “Grim Reaper” Reeves is a former world champion boxer who is punch-drunk from a hard career, on top of suffering the usual vagaries of old age. He’s also the subject of an experiment, a revolutionary new show more therapy that holds the promise of helping Uncle Jimmy recover his memories and potentially altering the lives of millions of other seniors, if successful. It sounds good, only what if the ex-boxer remembers some things that were perhaps best left forgotten? My Uncle’s New Eyes is part coming-of-age novel, part science fiction meditation, with more than a dash of noir and horror thrown in. show less

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Nooiniin 135 reviews

Michael, at 16 an inveterate drug-abuser, street-wise beyond his years and taken hostage by his pubescent body, has to move in for a couple of weeks with his elderly uncle, a punch-drunk boxing champion, who, however, under a mysterious novel treatment is gradually getting his mental faculties back. It is here that Michael, seemingly for the first time ever, connects with people that are _not_ just out for what they can get: Cliff, uncle Jimmy’s old cut man, Dr. Parks, even Luna, the caretaker, with her hidden agenda, seems to be genuinely fond of her charge. And there is, of course, Uncle Jimmy himself: a young man at heart, suddenly waking up in an old body and not liking it one bit.

The story is told in 1st person perspective, from show more Michael’s point of view. His running commentary on and interpretation of his surroundings and the occurrences are funny, witty, insightful and show his being, despite his world-weary and cynical stance and deprecating views of himself, a kind soul, ultimately not buying into the general greed on display all around him. At some point we learn that Michael knows “The Catcher in the Rye” “like the back of my hand”, which seems very fitting.

A quick read and a gripping and original story. If you are not afraid the odd swear-word, depictions of violent death and explicit descriptions of male, pubescent fantasies, I’d say it’s fit from a mature YA audience upwards. show less

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Sep 27, 2021

Corrie57 178 reviews

The book is good, until about two/third of the book.
I have learned a lot more about adolescent boys, and I commisserate with Michael.
His lust for Luna is described well, and his knowledge it cannot be is sad.
Yes, he says mean things to his mother, but sometimes he is a bit too good to be true.

I was quite surprised when halfway the book one of the main characters died.
After that, the book went down. Too many unexpected things happened.
A pity.

I had chosen the book because of the Sci-Fi elements. They did not appear very much.
And the horror it promised? No, not the sort of horror I expected although there was horror in everything what happened.
Because I liked most of the book well, I give the book three stars.