Review of The Odd Life Of No One In Particular

[markodim721]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Odd Life Of No One In Particular" by Paul Woodis.]

---

2 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The book The Odd Life of No One in Particular by Paul Woodis introduces readers to the life of Shawn Williams. Hailing from a small town in New England, the main character was exposed to physical, psychological, and even sexual abuse. Although the names of the people and the location have changed, the author was explicit in saying that it is about sixty-five years of real life. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, and it can be said that the narrator is often biased in his narration. Even though the story starts with Shawn Williams' childhood, the best part of the book is the one about his adulthood.

Business and private successes and failures, as well as frequent reversals, are events that dictate the pace of the book. Only in the last third of the book will the life of the main character become somewhat calmer. Readers will have the opportunity to assess whether the arranged family circumstances had an impact on the orderly life of Shawn Williams or if it was just a coincidence. The author used everyday language in writing, which is why the book is easy to understand and the style of storytelling is convincing.

What I really liked about The Odd Life of No One in Particular is the author's honesty. Probably every reader will be able to conclude that the events described in the life of the main character in the book are completely authentic. The great emotionality that radiates from the written words also plays an important role in this conquest of the reader's affection. Also of great importance is the fact that the author described someone's life in less than seven decades. With each new chapter, the book gains in quality. Looking back at what I read, I would say that this work actually emphasizes the importance of honesty, hard work, family values, and good interpersonal relationships.

There’s a lot I don’t like about the book. The book is mostly monotonous. The narrator talks about his business ventures that have had ups and downs, about his friends and colleagues as well as about his family. This pattern is rarely interrupted and the whole book seems monotonous. In addition, the main character is also a narrator, and all life events are described exclusively from his perspective. What honestly amazed me was that Shawn Williams described in incomparably more detail all of the vehicles he had ever owned and everything about them than the relationship with his children.

The decision on how to rate The Odd Life of No One in Particular was complex. I rate the book with two out of four stars. A deep insight into the life of the main character, extraordinary descriptions of life situations, and the authenticity of the whole story are often intertwined with bias and an insistence on a uniform narrative structure.

I recommend the book to fans of life stories as well as fans of books that focus on the lives of ordinary, everyday people. Due to the often explicit descriptions of sexual relations and the occasional use of profanity, I do not recommend the book to younger readers nor to readers who find this type of content offensive.

******
The Odd Life Of No One In Particular
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Aisha Yakub]

Describing seven decades in one chapter is awesome. The writer seems to be excellent at what he does.

[Asiaa Szn]

This is a very intelligent story. Nice review

[Mary Lou Mills]

I wonder if the monotony is intentional given the name of the book as 'ordinary.'

[Adaeze Joan]

I must say, the book's title is quite an odd one. This is a simple, yet engaging book. Thanks for your honest review.

[Darlings O]

A book that focuses on the lives of ordinary people would seem like a good read for me. So sad to see that it got just two stars. I hope the author works on the negative aspects.

[markodim721]

Describing seven decades in one chapter is awesome. The writer seems to be excellent at what he does.

Not in the chapter but in the whole book. The writer made an effort, the book is interesting, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Thanks for stopping by.

[markodim721]

This is a very intelligent story. Nice review

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it.

[markodim721]

I wonder if the monotony is intentional given the name of the book as 'ordinary.'

That also made me think for a while. Thanks for the comment.

[markodim721]

I must say, the book's title is quite an odd one. This is a simple, yet engaging book. Thanks for your honest review.

I agree, the title really differs in every sense from the titles we are used to. Thanks for the comment.

[markodim721]

A book that focuses on the lives of ordinary people would seem like a good read for me. So sad to see that it got just two stars. I hope the author works on the negative aspects.

The author often entered into a template for describing events that would include a business routine, family relationships, buying or selling a vehicle, and maybe something else. Although the book has potential, it was often monotonous to me. Thanks for the comment.