Budding Prospects

T.C. Boyle

Our protagonist is Felix. He is a very smart, not very ambitious young man. I think he is intended to be a caricature of the millennial generation, or at least with much of what is supposed to be wrong with it. Felix finds himself embarking on a new venture to grow pot in Northern California. He (and two buddies) provide the year of labor in exchange for 1/3 of the profit (starting out at $500k). Of course they encounter problems with locals, nature, the law, and themselves. But through it all, we are taken in with a story-telling style that mimics the millennial generations traits of narcissism and entitlement. The story folds in on itself, forcing the reader to be as myopic as the characters. When a character is introduced that could potentially provide perspective, we see them through millennial eyes. In this way, Boyle does an excellent job of drawing the reader in and creating the world that the characters live in. Only after sitting and reflecting a bit after the story has wrapped can we see what was, and what could have been. I find that I like this book better having read it, than while I was reading it. So if you like to discuss these sorts of themes with your friends, it is quick and worth the read.
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