Spyder by David Fingerman

Posted on November 5th, 2011

Bottom line:

This book is hard to classify, but tantalizingly good.  Great read for mature readers–describes sex scenes, drug usage, and violence.

Premise:

A streetwise thug named Spyder struggles to overcome his drug addiction, while the world around him keeps trying to drag him back in.

Likes:

o Lots of plot twists that keep you guessing throughout the story
o As a drug addict, Spyder’s an unlikely protagonist.  I found myself sympathizing with him because he took a hard view on all other addicts–thinking they were weaker/whinier than him.  Spyder had an outlook on life that I could respect, even as I disagreed with his choices.
o Eye-opening revelation for me on the difficulty of breaking out of the addiction cycle.  Excellent consideration on how hard it is to change one’s base character.
o Spyder grows throughout the story, but also suffers relapses as events trigger instinctive reactions.
o Spyder’s voice remains true to the character throughout the story.  There was definitely a feeling of “here’s the way I am, whether you like it or not” that made me respect and enjoy the character.

Dislikes:

o Very few. I disagreed with some of Spyder’s decisions, but that’s because those weren’t the choices *I* would make–it was my own bias that got in the way.  For his character, they were justifiable, even when the decisions led him to dangerous consequences.  And that part I liked: his bad decisions had realistic consequences for him.

I’d recommend this book to mature audiences who enjoy suspense, plot twists, dark humor, and unlikely heroes.

Full disclosure: where did I obtain this book?

Purchased myself

Purchase link