I am convinced that Derek B. Miller’s How to Find Your Way in the Dark was expressly tailored to my tastes and that I am its ideal reader. I suspect others will feel the same way; it’s that kind of book ... In less confident hands the many moving parts would collapse into a jumble. Miller, however, juggles each element effortlessly. His character portraits are indelible, often heartbreaking. At times this novel moved me to tears, the highest possible compliment.
... rollicking ... Miller has crafted a wide-ranging, years-spanning yet tightly structured plot, and he excels at placing memorable characters in unusual circumstances ... An underlying seriousness lies at the heart of all of this intrigue, hilarity and fun ... The ending of How to Find Your Way in the Dark is nothing short of brilliant, tying up a variety of loose ends while making a powerful statement about the need to fully recognize and address antisemitism. Readers are left with much to ponder, including life’s many uncertainties and cruel twists of fate. Despite these unhappy truths, we are also left with the uplifting wisdom of Lenny’s urgent prayer: 'Dear God, give me the strength to be joyful.'
This is one busy book! There’s enough plot here for three novels. At its heart, though, it’s the story of Sheldon Horowitz, who is 12 when readers first meet him and soon to become an orphan after his father is murdered ... This only scratches the surface of this incident-rich, coming-of-age novel—perhaps too incident-rich, since the lives of Abe and Mirabelle tend to divert attention from Sheldon’s story. Nevertheless, the story is compelling and deeply satisfying.
... terrific ... This quest spirals into grimly entertaining capers, including a jewel heist in the burgeoning borscht belt resorts of the Catskills. Diverting subplots track America’s entry into WWII and the birth of modern stand-up comedy, as shown by Lenny’s hilarious forays into showbiz. Readers will root for Sheldon, a memorable survivor, every step of the way.
There's a lot to enjoy in this sprawling book, which brings a Huck Finn–ish humor to its coming-of-age story. But with its overstated themes and tendency to dictate the characters' thoughts and feelings rather than elicit them, the novel compromises its emotional impact. A novel whose entertaining parts don't make for a satisfying whole.
