After being completely impressed by Matt Ruff's Bad Monkeys last month (see my review) I was pretty eager to read his earlier novel, Set This House in Order. Here's the description:

Andy Gage was born in 1965 and murdered not long after by his stepfather. . . . It was no ordinary murder. Though the torture and abuse that killed him were real, Andy Gage's death wasn't. Only his soul actually died, and when it died, it broke in pieces. Then the pieces became souls in their own right, coinheritors of Andy Gage's life. . . .

Andy's new coworker, Penny Driver, is also a multiple personality, a fact that Penny is only partially aware of. When several of Penny's other souls ask Andy for help, Andy reluctantly agrees, setting in motion a chain of events that threatens to destroy the stability of the house. Now Andy and Penny must work together to uncover a terrible secret that Andy has been keeping . . . from himself.

There is so much I loved about this book, starting with Andy and the way that he and his "family" happily co-exist in one body. Each of the strong personalities are distinct and their interaction with each other (and Andy) is really interesting and unusual. (There are many other personalities but they are largely "witnesses" - personalities that only existed for the purposes of one traumatic event and did not develop beyond that.) What really impressed me though was the further proof of just how gifted Matt Ruff is when it comes to crafting an intricate plot. Bad Monkeys hinged hugely on a complex storyline that Matt brought off with ease. Here's what I thought of that book:

Part science fiction, part thriller, with elements of police procedural (minus the police of course), family drama and even humor thrown in, Bad Monkeys is both deliciously subversive and outrageously savagely brilliant.

House is written in the same complex vein - it's a tragedy and comedy; smart, sexy and vibrantly, audaciously alive. The language is harsh (one of Penny's personalities is very very angry and she lets you know), but man is this a book that demands to be read. You love Andy, you worry about Penny and then just when you think the story is settling into something predictable (Andy helps Penny put her "house" in order), Matt throws a curve ball of epic proportions. And then there is another one, and another and another. And then you're in a road trip novel that is taking you back to Andy's childhood and man - I did not want to go there! But there's no leaving these characters alone at this point, there's no putting this book down.

Everything you could want in a novel is alive and well in Set This House in Order. More than anything though, it has shown me just how good a writer can be - both technically and emotionally. A rich plot, dazzling characters, and ideas that are utterly original all can be found here. This is a book with everything you could want in a story and I can't recommend it enough. (And yes, I know it did get some critical acclaim when it came out but since it has not sold 1 million copies - as it should - I think it is totally overlooked!)

Matt Ruff is one of my new favorite authors - check him out and see why I'm so impressed.

Other Wicked Cool Overlooked Books:

Jules loves The Museum Book by Jan Mark! (And so do I!): "...I’m shining a light upon this title, highly recommended for history, art, and mythology lovers, as well as amateur and even serious collectors, especially those who want to share their passion with their children. I’d say this is a must-have for middle school and high school libraries. An absorbing read.

Little Willow has this to say about The Alison Rules by Catherine Clark: In my post entitled More to Life, or, Bigger Than a Breadbox, I described the book this way: After Alison's mother passes away, she is reluctant to confide in anyone other that her long-time best friend Laurie. Alison decides to play it safe, rather than be sorry later. Do not let anyone spoil this book for you. Just get it and read it, then come back to this post and discuss it with me. This book is poignant and real, and it gets my highest recommendation.

And Tanita at Finding Wonderland enjoyed The River Between Us by Richard Peck: Because this is a woman's perspective on war, this is a story that has moments of heartbreak, and rather than being fragile, the women have to be tough and resourceful to survive. However, there are droll, funny moments too that are pure Peck, and best of all, nobody stands around saying "the South will rise again." For another perspective on a piece of American history, pick this one up.