The Telemachus family definitely has their fair share of miscommunication. From the father Teddy, a card shark/magician who pretended to be psychic and ignores his children; to the eldest, Irene, who can detect lies and therefore closes herself off from love; to Frankie, who used to be able to move small objects with his mind until he lost his confidence, but still yearns for fame and greatness (leading to more trouble); to Buddy, who is silent, but knows the future and works to push it slightly, without letting anyone else know; to Matty, Irene's son, who is just coming in to his own power (more powerful than his Grandmother, a Government spy), but is too afraid to tell anyone. The parts with the Government and spies were intriguing, and I would have loved to read more about Maureen and all of her powers. It seemed more interesting to me than the mob and Teddy, with all of his faults and having learned nothing new by the end of the novel. The children in the novel were more adult than the adults, often understanding things before their parents, being direct and fixing problems the adults create for themselves. Matty and Malice become the glue that held the family together, often interceding and saving the day. Again, the lack of communication between adults leads to the children needing to take some of the control. The main malfunction within the family is that each adult thinks they are the ones caring for the others, without ever discussing their own issues. So, their "burdens" cause anxiety and resentment. Irene resents her absentee father and her power, Frankie resents their lost fame and his failed powers, Teddy resents being the only "parent", Buddy resents living throughout time, without a life of his own. The beginning of the novel was very slow paced, which again made it hard to keep interest. However, the end the novel became a roller coaster ride, really picking up in the last 70 pages or so, and I could not seem to put down the book. I finally found I was invested in the outcome of this troubled psychic family. I was glad I stuck it out, as there were moments of laughter, redemption and sadness. I would have missed out on some eye opening realizations. I recommend this book for fans of crime/spy drama, with a dash of maladjusted family and a touch of magic.
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