Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby

Genre: Realistic Fiction

College genius Theodore Mead Fegley decides he can’t take it anymore. Just eight days before graduation, he decides to head back home to High Grove, Illinois, back to his overbearing mother, and back to the life he once knew. Mead has worked his whole life to be able to graduate from this top-ranking university; not to mention, he was just about to give a raveling presentation on the Riemann Hypothesis (a baffling mathematical equation that has trumped many academic scholars for over a century) just before he left. However, no valid answer is provided for his resolve to ditch school. As the story progressed, the reason becomes clearer.

Life After Genius is an ingenious book. Jacoby offers a unique view inside the mind of a genius, covering the pressure, scrutinizing, and the torture of geniuses perfectly. Mead was a particularly admirable character, who I could definitely relate to. What’s commendable about Mead is that he goes through his life without a single word of complaint. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Mead, while resenting those who torment him. Another interesting thing about the book is that it often jumps back and forth between Mead’s present and his flashbacks, which gives you a more in-depth look at Mead’s life as well as increase as the suspense. If you ever want to read about a genius’s life, this would be the best book to read.

*This was also reviewed for Book Divas – CollectiveX.