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(More customer reviews)A century-long flashback, told by a big turtle? Yep, it works.
Tecopa Cocoa is a fanciful, realistic, funny, insightful, scholarly and uniquely optimistic coming of age tale. It starts with our hero sharing his early memories as a geeky kid trying his best to grow up in the eastern United States during the 1950s, anno Domini. His commercial pilot father was a real-live hero during WWII -- a fellow born to "pull people from the drink." His quirky-cum-crazy mother only adds to the boy's bewilderment.
During his thirteenth summer, his dad sends him west to visit his eccentric inventor Uncle Henry, in the tiny desert town of Tecopa. There he finds home amongst a ragtag crew of mind readers. It's also where he undergoes a bizarre metamorphosis.
The narrator's observations about the people and world around him are alternately hilarious and tragic, but always ring true. His is the story of innocence lost and found, of humanity's propensity toward self-destruction juxtaposed with a collosal capacity for love, of mindless evil set against absolute good.
This book is bound to appeal to readers who like sinking their teeth into meaty, complex sentences generously peppered with literary and historic references. But it's also for any self-respecting baby boomer who remembers Saturday afternoon matinee movies at the local theater, behemoth automobiles, disturbingly vivid colors, unrequited crushes on the cutest (usually unattainable) kid in class, and feeling different and isolated.
The story parallels recent American history/future, and occasionally directs it. Or is it that trickster, Fate, calling the shots? The reader has to judge; the narrator's not saying. And the author only offers intriguing options.
When you reach the last page, you may be sorry that it's over. I was because I came to care so much about the characters.
My advice? Read the book. It's worth your while..
Oh yeah. One more thing. You may never look at a cup of hot chocolate in the same way again.
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