Steve Justice's The One tells the story of an unnamed, discontent professor who desperately wants to feel like he is living his life rather than just submitting to the whims of others.
Through the professor's thoughts and actions, Justice expresses the unpredictable and irresistible passions of love and what it can drive a desperate man to do.
The professor's frame of mind is gradually overtaken by his need for appreciation, affection and companionship. His decisions reshape his responsible, conservative mindset into one of wild, almost masochistic abandon, making him a hazard for himself and anyone who gets in the way of his wants.
I urge readers to read beyond the chauvinistic, narrow minded personality of the professor and view the brilliance behind the scenes of Justice's work.
This novel is meant to be enjoyed as a psychological thriller.
The effects of jealously, tragedy, more than a decade of unfulfillment, and a lackluster marriage, congeal in the mind of the professor over the course of the novel and bring his characterization to life.
Past the mid-point of the novel, I read not for the plot (though it is well told and well constructed) but to understand the professor's changing psyche, and to observe how his transformation would affect his life and the lives of those he holds most dear.
For readers looking for a thrilling, literary read, this novel is definitely "the one". Okay bad pun... but seriously, Steve Justice's "The One" will satisfy your needs for a fresh literary voice. Coupled with the excitement of how the professor's search for romance is going to conclude and if all his efforts are going to leave him better or worse, this is a novel you do not want to pass up. Five stars.
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