Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

"The Curiosity" was inspired by the James Taylor song "The Frozen Man," off his early '90s album "New Moon Shine." It's a lovely, thought-provoking song that touched me deeply. I thought twenty years ago it'd make a fine short story or "Twilight Zone"-type show episode. I found this novel disappointing. Sure, I can suspend disbelief in the science of "The Curiosity," no prob. It's fiction, science fiction. But you also have to believe in an America where apparently it's legal to keep a live human being as property (seriously???). Worst of all, the very first chapter contains so many "had I but known" hand-wringing type of spoilers that there was absolutely zero suspense. I didn't like any of the characters other than the frozen man himself, Jeremiah Rice; all the other characters were such stereotypes. Judge Rice was interesting, and I did enjoy reading his quaint turns of phrase and about his wonder at seeing modern things such as supermarkets. "The Curiosity" reminded me most of the short story, eventually novel, called "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. Tragic male "lab rat" character and the woman scientist who falls in love with him, because of course women can't be professional like men and are always letting their feelings get in the way. <sarcasm> Usually I love books more than other media such as movies, but oddly, this is one case where I was much more moved by a four-minute song than by a 400+ -page book.