An audio book. The title comes from Plato - it's fair enough if the young are afraid of the dark, but it's sad if adults are afraid of the light.
The 1st person PoV, Brendan, is a 56 year-old uber driver in L.A., who has a degree in electronics and had worked in sales for decades before being laid off. He's always cowed to authority figures. He's married a Polish Catholic, Agnieska. One miscarriage, one cot death and a 24 year-old daughter, Klara, who's rebellious. His wife has become ever more fundamentalist, especially re abortion. They live together but haven't slept together for years. He's not a risk taker. He's never met the love of his life.
We learn what it's like being an uber driver - the tactics, the money, the rules. He delivers an old lady, Elise, to a building, then sees someone bomb it. He drives Elise away. He learns that she's an ex-French prof who's now a Dula, and the place was an abortion clinic. She says that those who offer to light the way often lead you to darkness. She takes him into her confidence, telling him about her abortion and her late husband - "whenever the loneliness hurts, I tell myself I was lucky". Her daughter (who she doesn't often see) is planning to marry an old, very rich man. She pops out to her lawyer (presumably to change her will).
His daughter tells him that Patrick Kallayer has just given the wife-battering charity she works for $2m. He also finances "Angels Assist", an anti-abortion group which Agnieska, her friend Teresa, and his old priest friend Todor work with. It was Todor who's convinced Brendan not to divorce. Kallayer's rich enough to manipulate the police.
After another (this time televised) incident at a clinic, Agnieska locks him out. He stays with Elise. Klara contacts him to say she's in a safe house with Amber. She's been held for 3 years by Kallayer. She's 17 and she's 5+ months pregnant. She wants an abortion. Todor wants to talk to Brendan. Todor goes on TV to say he's against violence.
Brendan and Elise go to the safe house. Amber has taken Klara's gun. Elise negotiates. Because Amber is too young, Elise thinks she should have the baby.
Brendan's called by his wife's sister to be told that his wife's had a heart-attack and is about to die. Brendan and Klara rush back. It's a trap (it's surprising that they weren't suspicious). A thug, Todor and Teresa drive with Klara and Brendan back to the safe house. Todor thinks that Kallayer saved Amber, who was made pregnant by a bodyguard. Todor is Kallayer's confessor. When they arrive, there's a gunfight. Protecting Amber, Elise is killed. Teresa is killed. Todor kills the thug and tells Brendan to shoot him, making it look like the thug killed him. Klara and Brenden escape, calling an ambulance for wounded Amber. They take with them a bag full of cash.
Amber survives. The baby is dead. On CNN they see Todor, who they thought was dead. He reveals his version of what happened (would the police have allowed that?). He says the thug was the father of the baby. Todor leaves Brendan and Klara out of the story. Klara leaves for Amsterdam.
Elise left Brendan a flat and money. The solicitor arranges money for Klara too, and a divorce. Brendan returns the cash to Todor and goes to Arizona for a year or so, back to nature. Todor, who'd been well paid by Kallayer, is shot.
I never got bored. The debate about abortion wasn't too prolonged. I was curious about how Brendan's battle with his principles would end.
No comments:
Post a Comment