The Big Door Prize
FICTION
G.P. Putnam's Sons
September 8, 2020
Hardcover
384
Purchased
What would you do if you knew your life's potential? That's the question facing the residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, when the DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. It's nothing to look at, really--it resembles a plain photo booth. But its promise is amazing: With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. With enough credibility to make the townspeople curious, soon the former teachers, nurses, and shopkeepers of Deerfield are abruptly changing course to pursue their destinies as magicians, cowboys, and athletes--including the novel's main characters, Douglas Hubbard and his wife, Cherilyn, who both believed they were perfectly happy until they realized they could dream for more...
Written with linguistic grace and a sense of wonder, The Big Door Prize sparkles with keen observations about what it might mean to stay true to oneself while honoring the bonds of marriage, friendship, and community, and how the glimmer of possibility can pull these bonds apart, bring them back together, and make second chances possible, even under the strangest of circumstances.
My review: I read this author's debut novel, and just didn't get the hype it received (My Sunshine Away). As I mentioned in that review, I did really like the writing style, so was anxious to try another book. I am happy to say that the content of this one was much more to my liking. It's basically a story about a small town, with a great cast of characters, who we follow once they learn what their destiny is supposed to be. Some are believers in what the DNAMIX machine in the local supermarket spits out, some are skeptics, but all are changed by what is written on the tiny scrap of paper. While everyone else is getting exciting predictions of magicians, cowboys, and even royalty, poor Douglas gets a prediction of exactly what he is already doing. Is that a good thing, or not? We follow all the residents as they navigate their mundane lives with their newfound knowledge, and what this means for them and their relationships. Once again in this novel, the writing is stellar. The buildup of the town and characters was very engaging, and the book kept me interested from start to finish. I loved that this was a story that I have never encountered before, and with all the books I read, that is a high compliment!
A novel about people's potential, and how knowing that can impact your dreams and decisions. What would you do if you knew you were destined for something else?
