Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Marcelo Sandoval hears music no one else can hear--part of the autism-like impairment no doctor has been able to identify--and he's always attended a special school where his differences have been protected. But the summer after his junior year, his father demands that Marcelo work in his law firm's mailroom in order to experience "the real world." There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm.


He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it's a picture he finds in a file -- a picture of a girl with half a face -- that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.


My Thoughts/Review:

Marcelo's character was amazing. Even though he supposed to be mentally handicapped, I'm pretty sure that he is smarter than I am. I love how he refers to himself as a third person, and even though it made him seem weird sometimes, it was exactly who he was. He is his own third person. Referring to himself in third person just made it more obvious that he knows exactly who he is. The story moved right on along, and it kept me interested. I just had to know what happened to Marcelo. His story was basically one of his own self discovery, but it is one that isn't written in the traditional way. Marcelo finds himself through his actions, and he is definitely his own person. Just cause he hears mental music, doesn't make him stupid. I hear mental music too. But it's usually a song I was listening to yesterday.


                                                                 ♠♠♠
"The only problem with Elemental women is that they can just as soon be loved or not be loved. It's not like they're cold and calculating, like the Elegants. They just have their own road to travel. You can climb aboard and sail with them, but they'll keep heading for their destination with or without you. Speak of the devil."