However, many of these positive elements come too late in the story, making any impatient reader bound to put it down before it picks up. It is provocative, philosophical, and real, coming from the perspective of a fictional high schooler. With the climax comes something of a plot twist that blindsides your emotions, even though you think you know what’s coming. The book is a short and easy read, which I can appreciate not much is dragged out, though much of the story is building towards the climax. The text explores themes of adolescence, rebellion, love, and infidelity, all against the backdrop of the mid-1990s, complete with pop culture references and historical events. As Steve writes about his past in Houston, he is inspired to look for more answers in San Diego, assisted by his sister, Sarah, and new girlfriend, Allison. Among the members is Wanda, also known as Dub, the girl who sets everything into motion.

The ensemble cast includes the members of the Grace Order of Dadaists, the non-conforming artists assembled by Steve’s best friend, Doug. Steve York writes about his early high school years in Houston, where his astronaut father settled after the divorce, Steve’s mother fleeing to San Diego. Within the dramatic irony lies the tension and emotional content, and ultimately proves that the journey is more important than the destination. His subject of choice is simply how he got to this point, from straight-A student to flunking out.

The effect is jarring until it is revealed that to make up the missing English credit, Steve can write a 100-page paper about anything.

A few pages later, Steve is in Houston, eager to begin his high school years. We first find Steve York in guidance counselor Jeff DeMuoy’s office in San Diego, where Steve is being told that his missing English credit forbids him from graduating. Almost immediately, the reader already knows where the protagonist’s journey begins and ends. Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas tells a multi-dimensional story in one of the only ways a novel written in first-person can: by having the narrator write a story within the book.

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Rats saw god book