“... Wickard's novel colorfully illuminates the two sychronized protagonists, each displaying profound characteristics: Sami has trouble adjusting to her new life and Smitty balances his secret life with his normal one, with a (living) wife and infant daughter at home...... assertive characters with distinct backgrounds provide a solid fountaion for the story of a killer on the hunt." Kirkus Review February 24, 2012”
Quote Analysis
The review by Kirkus Review highlights the well-developed and contrasting personalities of the two main characters in Douglas Wickard's novel. Sami and Smitty are depicted as complex individuals with their own struggles and secrets, which adds depth to the story of a killer on the loose. This analysis suggests that the dynamic between these two characters serves as a strong foundation for the unfolding narrative.
Modern Relevance
The Kirkus Review of Douglas Wickard's novel highlights the complex and multifaceted protagonists that drive the story forward. Sami and Smitty's contrasting struggles and secrets make for a compelling narrative that continues to resonate with readers today.
Book Review Quote:
"“... Wickard's novel colorfully illuminates the two synchronized protagonists, each displaying profound characteristics: Sami has trouble adjusting to her new life and Smitty balances his secret life with his normal one, with a (living) wife and infant daughter at home...... assertive characters with distinct backgrounds provide a solid foundation for the story of a killer on the hunt." Kirkus Review February 24, 2012” - Douglas Wickard"
Reflection Questions
In Douglas Wickard's novel, the protagonists Sami and Smitty are highlighted for their unique and complex traits. As you consider their individual struggles and strengths, reflect on the following questions:
- How does Sami's difficulty adjusting to her new life resonate with any personal experiences you may have had in adapting to change?
- In what ways do Smitty's dual lives, one as a family man and the other as a killer, challenge traditional notions of identity and morality?
- How do the contrasting backgrounds of Sami and Smitty contribute to the dynamic tension in the story, and what insights can be gained from their interactions?
- Reflect on the idea of assertive characters serving as a solid foundation for a narrative. How does the strength of Sami and Smitty's personalities drive the story forward and shape the overall message of the novel?
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“The viewpoint character in each story is usually someone trapped in a living nightmare, but this doesn't guarantee that we and the protagonist are at one. In fact Woolrich often makes us pull away from the person at the center of the storm, splitting our reaction in two, stripping his protagonist of moral authority, denying us the luxury of unequivocal identification, drawing characters so psychologically warped and sometimes so despicable that a part of us wants to see them suffer. Woolrich also denies us the luxury of total disidentification with all sorts of sociopaths, especially those who wear badges. His Noir Cop tales are crammed with acts of police sadism, casually committed or at least endorsed by the detective protagonist. These monstrosities are explicitly condemned almost never and the moral outrage we feel has no internal support in the stories except the objective horror of what is shown, so that one might almost believe that a part of Woolrich wants us to enjoy the spectacles. If so, it's yet another instance of how his most powerful novels and stories are divided against themselves so as to evoke in us a divided response that mirrors his own self-division.("Introduction")”