The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell (2018) by Robert Dugoni is one of my favorite books. I became so attached to the characters that I didn’t want the book to end. The main character, and narrator, Sam Hill, was born in 1957 with a condition called ocular albinism, which made his pupils red. In school, he was ostracized and given the nickname “Devil Boy”. Sam takes us back and forth between his childhood and 1989, and then into the present. A significant aspect of his journey portrays the lifelong friendships he develops with two other outcast students, Ernie and Mickie. I felt like I was reading someone’s memoir. That’s how realistic and compelling the characters and storyline were. I experienced a whole range of emotions: sympathy and anger at Sam’s childhood struggles and bullying, admiration for his Mother’s undying faith and encouragement, revulsion at the acts of a particularly vile character, and hopefulness due to his relationships with Ernie and Mickie. Highly recommend this for anyone who loves books with a great cast of interesting characters that are part of an emotional journey.
Written by Denise, Adult Services