From Library Journal
ZigZag, this novel's narrator, is a mentally handicapped young man with a talent for remembering numbers. Dean Singer, a volunteer big brother who is dying of cancer, has rescued the boy from his abusive father, found him a job as a dishwasher, and had him placed in a special school. When ZigZag innocently takes $5000 from his repulsive boss's safe, the race is on for Singer and ZigZag to return the money before the boy is accused. In a series of wacky episodes, the duo are aided by good guysAa soft-hearted hooker, a police detective, and a chefAwhile avoiding the baddies, including ZigZag's father, a loan shark, and the boss. Although the engaging narrative voice occasionally slips, this mixture of comic adventure and paean to the values of volunteerism is a vivid read. Napoleon's impressive debut novel is for most public libraries.AAndrea Caron Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kirkus Reviews
A remarkable debut portraying the inner life of a disturbed ghetto teenager as he attempts to grow up in the frightening world hes inherited. Louis Fletcher, alias ZigZag, is one of those charmed unfortunates who appear so forlorn and helpless that they can get away with murderliterally. Ostensibly mentally retarded, ZigZag works as a dishwasher and lives with his abusive father, who shakes him down for cash and continually reminds him that he killed his own mother during childbirth. In actuality Louis isnt retarded but autistic, with a phenomenal memory and grasp of mathematics, although, at 15, he does lack the most basic understanding of social behavior and verbal communication. Hes looked after by Dean Singer, his Big Brother from a local welfare agency, who takes him on outings and tries to get him placed in a safer home than his fathers. When ZigZags father threatens to throw him out on the street unless he comes up with $200 to pay the rent, the boy memorizes the combination of his bosss safe and steals $5,000. Singer discovers whats happened and tries to retrieve the money before ZigZag is arrested, but ZigZags father takes the whole packet and uses it to pay back a loan shark. So now Singer must borrow money himself to keep ZigZag out of trouble. The result? He almost gets both ZigZag and himself into even worse trouble when he tries to replace the loot in the safe. Soon the detectives are dusting for fingerprints, the safe is still empty, and Singer is going to get some bones broken unless he comes up with a way of making the loan-sharks weekly vig. A hopeless scenario? Well, God upholds the foolish, innocence is often mistaken for ignorance, and in the end its ZigZag who looks after Singer in the first of many role-reversals that twist through this marvelously intricate tale. An unaffected, moving, and astonishing insight into the heart of a troubled, silent genius. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
