Review: The Marriage of True Minds by Stephen Evans
The Marriage of True Minds
by Stephen Evans
Quirky and fun, The Marriage of True Minds follows Lena Grant and Nick Ward, two brilliant lawyers who were partners both in and out of court. Unfortunately, Nick may or may not be completely nuts and Lena’s divorced him. She’s trying to move on with her life, taking on new clients and dating Preston Winter, a state attorney, but she’s torn between her lingering affection for her ex and a desire for a “normal” life. Nick, as sharp and intelligent as ever, is constantly causing her grief with his wild stunts - like putting 100+ lobsters in the mayor’s swimming pool. Constantly, Lena wonders why Nick can’t just act normal.
The strength of the novel (perhaps novella? It’s quite short) comes from its quirky cast of characters. Nick is spontaneous and full of love - for the Earth, his e-wife, animals, his puppet Sancho, his fellow men - but he creates the world to suit his tastes and needs, whether by dressing Lena in couture that perfectly complements his own signature pinstripe suits (custom-fitted in Italy) or reshaping past events to make a better story. It’s difficult to be sure of his sanity but Nick’s choices are intended for the good of all (in his own mind). His doctor, Oscar, loves comic books (but only well-used, beat-up and severely deteriorated copies will do) and believes that all knowledge can be gleaned from the pages of DC and Marvel. With his own sense of playfulness running strong, Oscar makes the perfect watchdog-playmate for Nick. Toss in a judge straight off of daytime TV and Lena’s mouthy assistant Sharon and situations explode. The more ludicrous the scene, the funnier the book becomes.
While The Marriage of True Minds is certainly a love story, it is also a condemnation of humanity’s habit of getting rid of anything inconvenient. Whether it’s pets or animals - Nick briefly works at the city animal shelter and learns about the shelter’s “30-day-limit” - or half-mad people, author Stephen Evans seeks to remind us of the pain caused by giving up on the ones we love.
Buy the book on Amazon.com, or add it to your wishlist.
by Stephen Evans
Quirky and fun, The Marriage of True Minds follows Lena Grant and Nick Ward, two brilliant lawyers who were partners both in and out of court. Unfortunately, Nick may or may not be completely nuts and Lena’s divorced him. She’s trying to move on with her life, taking on new clients and dating Preston Winter, a state attorney, but she’s torn between her lingering affection for her ex and a desire for a “normal” life. Nick, as sharp and intelligent as ever, is constantly causing her grief with his wild stunts - like putting 100+ lobsters in the mayor’s swimming pool. Constantly, Lena wonders why Nick can’t just act normal.
The strength of the novel (perhaps novella? It’s quite short) comes from its quirky cast of characters. Nick is spontaneous and full of love - for the Earth, his e-wife, animals, his puppet Sancho, his fellow men - but he creates the world to suit his tastes and needs, whether by dressing Lena in couture that perfectly complements his own signature pinstripe suits (custom-fitted in Italy) or reshaping past events to make a better story. It’s difficult to be sure of his sanity but Nick’s choices are intended for the good of all (in his own mind). His doctor, Oscar, loves comic books (but only well-used, beat-up and severely deteriorated copies will do) and believes that all knowledge can be gleaned from the pages of DC and Marvel. With his own sense of playfulness running strong, Oscar makes the perfect watchdog-playmate for Nick. Toss in a judge straight off of daytime TV and Lena’s mouthy assistant Sharon and situations explode. The more ludicrous the scene, the funnier the book becomes.
While The Marriage of True Minds is certainly a love story, it is also a condemnation of humanity’s habit of getting rid of anything inconvenient. Whether it’s pets or animals - Nick briefly works at the city animal shelter and learns about the shelter’s “30-day-limit” - or half-mad people, author Stephen Evans seeks to remind us of the pain caused by giving up on the ones we love.
Buy the book on Amazon.com, or add it to your wishlist.