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Manny Williams is a criminal. He has spent time in jail and got his education from the streets. He has a five-year-old son, Nicky, who is living in foster care. The State does not believe that Manny can overcome his past and raise a child. Plus the fact Manny was in jail when Nicky's mom died, makes the State even less comfortable with the idea of him being a father. When this book opens, Manny has just completed a heist with his partner. They stole several bags full of money from the Russian Mob. Almost immediately, Manny begins to get suspicious of his partner and the entire situation. Manny takes the money and runs. He decides that he should take his son with him, as he might never have this chance again. Manny and Nicky head up the East Coast and have car trouble in Maine. There they find refuge in the home of Louis and Eleanor. This situation is only temporary, as Manny wants to head up to Canada to escape the law. Unfortunately for everyone's plans, the Russian Mob has tracked him to his hideaway. Manny must trust the local police sheriff, Taylor Bookman, long enough to get Nicky out of the country. At the heart of WAY PAST LEGAL is the story of a man struggling to determine his own worth and his right to raise his son. Manny is in doubt about his ability to raise his son properly and protect him from the ugliness of life. These doubts intensify, as Nicky is positive Manny can be a great father. When the book begins, Manny is still interested in living the life of crime. As the book progresses, Manny begins to believe that he would like the same peaceful life Louis and Eleanor have. This transformation makes the book more personable and shows the depth of Green's writing ability. The character development in this book is impressive. As Manny is the narrator, he is the only fully developed character. And as mentioned above, he does change and grow throughout the book. His own personal struggles are the basis of the book. By default, Nicky is also well developed. While he is only a five-year-old, he has substance - or at least as much substance as a father sees in his son. One cannot help rooting for Manny to triumph over his past deeds. WAY PAST LEGAL, which is Norman Green's third book, is also an action thriller. The action of the book is rather sporadic and is not the primary drive of the plot. In the beginning of the book, Manny is involved in a theft. Then he must outwit the Russians as well as escape from them. While little of the action is explicit, Green does a good job of interspersing it with the rest of the story.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, July 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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