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Title |
The End of Marking Time |
| Author | C.J. West | |
| Publisher | 22 West Books | |
| Format |
Trade Paperback
Kindle |
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Pages |
284 | |
| Published |
May 22, 2010 |
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| Genre | Mystery / Thriller | |
| Content Rating | PG-13 Sexually Suggestive | |
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Setting |
West Roxbury, Massachusetts |
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IndieProse Review |
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The first twist in The End of Marking Time is found on the back cover. Michael addresses you as if you already know him. He believes you've been watching him for months in preparation for this moment - the final stage of his reeducation program. He is trapped in front of an opaque window and thinks you are on the other side, listening to decide whether he graduates from the program and is released or faces a severe (but unknown) punishment. The reader-as-jury scenario hooked us right from the beginning and we were surprised by how sympathetic we felt toward Michael even though he is a career criminal.
Michael tells his story for three hours, which is the majority of the novel. Michael shows you how society and his family have failed him. His difficulty remaking his life attests to the monumental challenges of truly rehabilitating someone who has chosen a life of crime. The reeducation program tasked with helping Michael presents a stark picture of what is required, but this isn't some futuristic fantasy. The premise, that the Supreme Court has ruled long term incarceration cruel and unusual punishment, is disturbingly real. The resulting chaos is tamed by technologies that currenty exist. It is the application of the technology and the honest assessment of the problem and its implications that are unsettling.
This book will thoroughly entertain you and leave you thinking about the nature of crime and criminals.
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Who Will Enjoy This Book? |
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Mystery and suspense readers will enjoy this book, but its appeal is much wider. Anyone with an interest in social work, prison reform, or criminal justice will be challenged by the ideas presented and what they signal for our current reform efforts. Book clubs will enjoy a spirited debate over the nature of criminals, rehabilitation, and punishment.
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Cautions |
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Michael's story is told primarily as a first person account.
The book includes an instance of a homosexual advance described in detail. |
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