The City by Dean Koontz is one of those rare books that shows us that you can have heartache, conflict, beauty, soul and the paranormal all in one story. Long known and renowned for his work in thrillers and the paranormal Dean Koontz takes this opportunity to give the reader something more.
The City is more than just a simple recounting or reenacting of an event. There is plenty of side story given throughout the tale. Fortunately, much of side story is not just filler or fluff. There is much done in the way of plot development accomplished in some of the smallest details within the story. To me, it added realism to the story as the pieces started to fit together and sometimes not perfectly as often happens in real life.
As the story develops and moves along, so too do the characters. The story takes place when the main character, Jonah Kirk, is only ten years old. He is a young man born to music and surrounded by people of various talents. Since it is written from his point of view, we get the most growth out of him. His natural curiosity leads us to find out more about his family, friends and neighbors. The people in Jonah's life turn out to be a grand mix of cultures, intellects and temperaments.
This is all set in 1967 Chicago. While it was a time of civil unrest, the book does not center itself on those things. Instead, the reader get a good feel for the way Jonah saw the city as he was growing up. Koontz does a wonderful job of giving us that vision of a city neighborhood as seen through the eyes of a ten year old boy whose heart is filled with hope.
The City by Dean Koontz is a wonderfully nostalgic read. It may not be hardcore paranormal or science fiction enough for some but, for me, it works just fine. There is a bit of language and some violence that earns it a soft PG13 from me.
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