Official Review: Nobody Knows by Larry Schneiderman

[KRay93]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Nobody Knows" by Larry Schneiderman.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Nobody Knows by Larry Schneiderman is a family drama/religious novel that tells the story of Jake Horton. He is a relatively ambitious man and a natural leader who must face, like most of us, the daily problems of life. From the conflicts within his innermost circle to the temptations that put his status quo at risk, Jake must overcome his family inheritance of missteps and lies to get ahead and find redemption.

The story is divided into two parts, the first of which contains a quick summary of his childhood and his working-class family background. Then, the story begins to focus on his college days and his first steps in the labor sphere, which will lead him to Sommer's Carpet and Tile, a company he will come to acquire. The second part jumps to his forties, a stage in which all of his achievements will be endangered by the mistakes he has made throughout his life. But his wife's illness and a divine call will provide him with one last chance to reconcile with himself and his faith.

The book is written entirely from Jake’s point of view. His conflict between his faith and his sins is one of the central axes of this story, and the author does a great job when it comes to exposing it and generating empathy in the reader. Despite the exclusive focus on the protagonist, the vast majority of secondary characters are very well developed. Their stories, their conflicts, and their actions contribute to an excellent characterization work, and the reader may come to feel that they are part of its own family or its circle of friends.

Although the book has an above-the-average extension, the plot proves interesting at all times. The conflicts that the protagonist goes through are constant and surprising. Whenever there is some stability in Jake’s life, a new problem arises, and an apparent solution to a conflict ends up generating a new one. While some issues of his working life can be somewhat dense, especially in the second part, each event has its purpose and ends up influencing the final outcome.

The prose of the book is very fluid, the emotions and thoughts of the protagonist exposed in each sentence and word. The depth of its meaning is able to lead the reader to reflect on its own experiences, its own mistakes, and even its own perception of its faith. Additionally, the editing work is practically impeccable. There are no typos or grammatical errors of any kind, just a couple of minimal formatting issues.

Frankly, this book has taken me by surprise. Although the premise already seemed attractive to me, I found myself more immersed than I expected in Jake's story. Out of some moments of the second half, I was anxious to leave every page behind so I could get to the end. I do not see any reason not to give it any less than 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to readers looking for compelling life stories, to those who seek conflicts of faith in their texts, and to those who seek to reflect on the events of their own lives.

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Nobody Knows
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Like KRay93's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

I've seen this one as book of the day a couple of times. It really dose sound interesting, and I think all of us have some kind of a crisis between our sins and faith. Though, it's probably not the same as the protagonist. Thanks for your review. It sounds interesting.

[Samantha Simoneau]

I enjoyed your review and I love books about people who struggle spiritually and who are rendered believably. I have read (but not necessarily finished) many faith-based fiction works where the characters simply fall flat and seem never to experience temptation. I find them difficult to identify with. Based on your review, Nobody Knows sounds engaging and realistic.

[Sanju Lali]

The review gave most insight into the contents of the book and also regarding the kinds of characters the author has developed taking into consideration of real life like status quo.

[kfwilson6]

For books like this, it really takes a great review to capture my interest. The book sounded mediocre at best based on the original synopsis I read when this was BOTD. Your review makes it sound much more intriguing. This is not at the top of my list of books to read but I am curious as to what secrets Jake is hiding and why he felt compelled to hide things from his wife. I wonder if she actually knew the things he thought she didn't...wives are sneaky that way.

[Jackie Holycross]

I'm not sure this one is for me but I'm glad he was able to tell his story and share it.

[Libs_Books]

I'm not sure this one is for me but I'm glad he was able to tell his story and share it.

Yes, that pretty much sums up how I feel about it. I can see that some people would find this really engaging, but, despite the great review, it doesn't really appeal.

[Dael Reader]

You write a very compelling review. As one who enjoys compelling life stories and stories that lead to reflections on faith and life, I am putting this one on my to-read list.

[gen_g]

Thank you for the interesting review, I will be checking out this book soon.

[gen_g]

I'm not sure this one is for me but I'm glad he was able to tell his story and share it.

I agree with teacherjh. Nonetheless, thank you for the detailed review.

[kdstrack]

The cover alone does a good job of evoking emotions. Your review makes the book sound really intriguing. Even though it may have some weaknesses, I think I will try this one. Thanks.

[Fuzzy456]

This is a thorough review, thank you. Sounds interesting enough to give it a try. I enjoy books like this, thanks!