Stylized and divisive, The Blue is far from a happy summer read. Part gritty suspense novel, part experimental literature in the vein of Camus or Joyce, it is a story for readers seeking a thought-provoking thrill. On the surface, Kelly’s provocative novel is about a man’s quest for redemption. Dig deeper and it asks questions about the nature of guilt, innocence, reality and revenge.
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Derek may or may not deserve to be stalked by an unhinged ex-marine – he’s not sure. He did kill the man’s entire family in a car accident, and he may have been drinking, though thanks to the resulting coma he can’t remember much about that day. And that’s okay, because Derek is learning all about it from the district attorney as he explains to the jury why the young painter should go to prison.
Prison isn’t right now, though – it isn’t breaking into his home, stabbing him, or kidnapping him at gunpoint. And managing his stalker would be much easier if Derek could see him coming. But, he’s incapable of recognizing the man tormenting him, or anyone else. Can’t even recognize his own face in the mirror. Since Derek woke up from his coma, he’s been face blind: a rare condition that renders him unable to identify people by their appearances.
Anyone in Derek’s world of strangers could be his stalker. In this mind-bending thriller, the talented painter is pushed to a tipping point as his reality unravels at the hands of a madman.
