Shine Shine Shine - Book Review July 2012

TITLE:  SHINE SHINE SHINE
AUTHOR:  LYDIA NETZER
PUBLISHER:  ST. MARTIN'S PRESS
RELEASE DATE:  JULY 17, 2012
320 PAGES
FICTION

Summary (from Amazon.com):
What is a "normal" life? For Sunny, it means wearing a blond wig (she’s been bald since birth), medicating her autistic son (who wears a helmet because he bangs his head against walls), and teaching her brilliant but socially clueless husband, Maxon, how to interact with other humans (they whiteboard equations so he knows how to respond to compliments). When Sunny’s wig falls off during a car accident, exposing her bare head to her neighbors for the first time, she starts to realize that this "normal" life she has built is actually a huge problem. Everything about Shine, Shine, Shine is charmingly odd, full of feeling, and beautifully written. Lydia Netzer has created a cast of characters so unique and surprising, you want to follow their story long after it ends. These are real people making real choices about their lives--even if those lives are different from everyone else’s.

Review:
I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.  Let me start off by saying that the first 100 pages or so I was skeptical of this book.  The story and characters were so odd and unique that I felt that I couldn't figure out if it was trying to be humorous or serious.  But I stuck with it, and boy am I glad that I did!  This is one of those rare books and stories that just gets under your skin.  Don't try to figure out anything, just go with it and let the oddness transport you.  In it you will find the most delightful and heartbreaking characters.  I LOVED this book!  This author is truly a genius at character development and a masterful way of showing us that we all have our secrets and things are not always as they seem but we have to make a choice whether we will let that bring us down in shame or raise us to a level of love for all people flaws and all. 
My rating:  5 out of 5