At the end of this novel, Peter Sullivan tells the hard-scrabble students in his English class that he believes in them and expects them to succeed, even if no one else has ever had faith in them before. What a wonderful gift! In fact, in the closing pages, we realize that many of the characters – even the ones with the most strikes against them – have managed to climb out of the holes that they were in. This may be the most affirming novel I have read. Charles Dickens – known for subplots, humor, and ghosts – would love it. So do I.
Russo, Richard. Somebody’s Fool. Knopf, 2023, p. 430.