Here was another one from the great Borders Raid of 2011. I snatched up this one in my frenzy, and I’m glad I did. Though the cover is quite simplistic, this is a complex story with characters going through struggles in their lives.

Protagonist Mead (though his real name is Theodore), a math genius, has dropped out of college right before graduation (did I mention he is 18 and breezed through in two years?), due to mysterious circumstances. His family is baffled and angry with him for throwing away his education just to come back and work at the family furniture store/funeral parlor.

Infused with humor and subtle clues about what happened at school between Mead and frenemy Herman, Life After Genius takes a hard look at what motivates people – the drive to succeed, to compete; and the facade of “normal” that certain individuals project.

Definitely one I’d recommend to literary fiction readers.