Disability

by Will Leitch

A book about finding a purpose in the world, How Lucky by Will Leitch is narrated by a young man named Daniel who is grappling with a physical disability called SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). It is a progressive disease that slowly paralyzes muscles from the core. He lives a boring life working remotely from home for a regional airline and has several caretakers who visit to assist him with his needs. Daniel meets a man online named Jonathan and gets to know him. Later in the book, Daniel discovers that Jonathan is keeping a girl hostage in his basement and suspects that his new friend may be a psychopath. Jonathan shows up at Daniel’s house and Daniel runs away fearing that he might hurt him. They go on a crazy chase, until Daniel’s caretaker comes in for her shift and calls the police, arresting Jonathan and saving the girl.

One of the main themes in the book is Daniel’s growth. In the beginning, he thinks his life is simple, and he is not destined to do much more. He feels bound because of his disability and does not seek to try in life. In the end of the book, after Daniel experiences something life changing, he feels that he is capable of doing anything, and starts to work towards his goals. I liked this book because in the beginning, Daniel says that his life is not a thriller. In the end of the book, it is a thriller, but a very unusual one. This book took some very sharp turns that I was not expecting. This pacing made it much more enjoyable. It made me want to read more in order to see what happens next. Daniel also has a sense of humor that makes reading the book the same as watching a comedy. I would read this book again for the comedic value alone. 

This book also taught me a lot about SMA, which I had never heard of until I read the book. He mentions ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and describes their similarities and differences. Children who develop SMA used to die young, but now they can grow into adulthood. After finishing this book, I went onto the Internet to research more about SMA and the different treatments Daniel wished he could have had. 

I also liked how the characters gave the story a real human touch. In some books I have read, the characters seemed distant and inhuman occasionally, or had too much emotion that the story didn’t feel real anymore. In this book, there is a huge variety of characters with very different personalities, so everyone of us can find someone to connect with in this book.

Overall, this was an entertaining and educational book to read. I really enjoyed reading this “thriller” because Daniel is so relatable. He does not hide his feelings, or deny anything about himself. He is sincere, which is why I think he sets a great example of a trustworthy person. I think Leitch would like us to know that even if someone is different from us, that does not mean we cannot be friends with them or understand them. I would recommend this book for teenagers, because I think this book is more mature than most young adult novels.