Book Review: So Says the Waiters

Title: So Say the Waiters (book 1: episodes 1-5)

Author: Justin Sirois

Genre: Fiction

Review:

I have some pretty mixed feelings towards this book (which is set up like a TV series), some of them good, some of them not so good and some of them neutral.  So, let's start with the good stuff, shall we? I find the whole concept of the kidnApp to be very intrguing. In a world consumed by technology, a new app called kidnApp has sprung up and is.  Basically, this app allows its users to submit submissions to be "taken" by Takers--people hired by the kidnApp to "kidnap" Waiters (the users who submitted.) 

Henry, one of the main characters in the book, recently broke up with his girlfriend and is incredibly upset about that. It's like, all he can think about is her. He's not your typical macho-male protagonist.  He's sensitive and I think the author went out on a limb with giving Henry a "softer" personality. For example, he cries a lot and gets freaked out easily. I'm not quite sure how I think about this--it's definitely different from the usual male characters you read about. Anyways, Henry knows he can't afford to keep the house with his current salary; but lo and behold, his friend, Steve seems to have the perfect solution: work for kidnApp. Steve also happens to be the founder of the app and is filthy rich--plus he doesn't mind spreading the wealth around to good friends. Unfortunately, Henry quickly discovers he's not very good at "kidnapping" Waiters--it's just not his personality...yet he needs the money.

At the same time, readers are introduced another character named Dani. She's a bartender and part of a band. She's not someone you want to mess around with either--her sassy talk and thick skin complete with (sometimes) temperamental issues makes her a person most people find rather eccentric/unapproachable. But Dani's world crumbles when she finds out her room mate has been betrayed her by making out and fooling around with a guy she likes.  Hurt and with no place to go, Dani feels as if life just ain't fair.

About two thirds of the way into the book, another set of characters, Uly and Jess, were introduced.  I was kind of confused about this because they had absolutely nothing to do with Dani and Henry--at least Dani and Henry met each other.  Yet Uly and Jess just kind of did their own thing.  I really didn't find the chapters regarding Uly and Jess necessary unless they author plans to have them reappear and play a bigger role in the plot further along the series.

My main qualm with So Says the Waiters is that there really doesn't seem to be a definitive plot.  You just kind of follow the characters around their daily life.  Yes, you do get a lot of character building, but it seems like I just keep on waiting...waiting...waiting for something to happen--waiting for the climax to peak.  

Nevertheless, the book kept my attention when I was reading it and I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a solid read that is a little but different from main stream fiction.

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