Michael Snyder introduces us to three very unusual and distinct voices all torn by tragedy: Willy Finneran, washed-up genre novelist with an espresso maker that just won't die and a habit of avoiding conflict even if it means putting the truth on a sliding scale. Ozena Webb, single mother and Javatek's top customer service representative. She spends every evening playing board games with her twelve-year-old son who is mentally crippled from an early childhood accident. Shaq, a small and scraggy homeless man with trauma-induced blank spots on his memory, trying to piece together the story of his life while assisting Father Joe at the Mercy Mission. As their stories intersect, the narrative vacillates between hope and naoveti, comic relief and postmodern ennui. Startling in its authenticity, this unforgettable novel reveals that no matter how far one has strayed from hope, there is always a way to return.
Meet Willy Finneran, washed-up genre novelist with an espresso maker that just won’t die. Ozena Webb, customer service rep and single mother of a mentally handicapped twelve-year-old boy. And Shaq, the homeless man who believes he’s Everyman. A brilliant and poignant novel from the author of My Name Is Russell Fink.
Average Rating: 4 out of 5 stars(4 out of 5 stars)
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4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Denise (Indiana), October 11, 2009
For some reason it was lodged in my brain the title of this book was "Return to Hope". This is certainly a theme running through the book! Hope, forgiveness, and second chances were my "takeaways". I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Willy as well as his developing relationships with Ozena, Shaq, and Father Joe. The characters are quirky, yet very realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and even though I had already figured out the twists, I was not disappointed in the way the author wrote the ending. I look forward to reading more of his novels.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Laura Hall (Grand Rapids, MI), July 31, 2009
I had heard of M. Snyder's first title but have not read it so I was not familiar with his writing. When it started Return Policy I was a little worried because it did start out a little slow. I liked the quirkiness of the main characters. They thought, said, and did off the wall things but were not nasty. As the characters stories evolved and came closer together, I would try to guess the connections. It was fun to try to guess and a great surprise at the twists their stories took. Some of my issues were the pacing (each time a new element was introduced to pick up the pace it seemed to slow down again) and also I was disappointed that one of my favorite side characters, Doug, received alot of attention early on and then just dropped of a little over half way through it. Overall the progression of the characters was great to witness and surprised by the sweet romance in it. I also liked the fact that not every characters story turns out exactly how they planned but adjusts to the change. Overall Return Policy was a fun read with quirky yet loveable characters that you cheered for til the end.
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