BewildermentBewilderment
What it's about
Theo Byrne, an astrobiologist who studies the possibility of life on other planets, is raising his nine-year-old son Robin alone after his wife's death. Robin is brilliant, sensitive and deeply upset by the destruction of the natural world, and doctors want to medicate him. Instead, Theo enrolls him in an experimental treatment that trains his brain using recordings of his late mother's emotions.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Booker finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a heartbreaking, tender story of a father and son, by the author of The Overstory.
You'll love it if you liked
The Overstory
Playground
Flowers for AlgernonGood to know
It's short for Powers, and the ending is devastating.
By the numbers
- Readers20 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #227 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #260 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #391 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2276 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
More by Richard Powers
If you like this, read next
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Babel
The Dispossessed
Beautyland
Sea of Tranquility
Bliss MontageExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Bewilderment worth reading?
Yes. It was a Booker finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,276 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Bewilderment about?
Theo Byrne, an astrobiologist who studies the possibility of life on other planets, is raising his nine-year-old son Robin alone after his wife's death. Robin is brilliant, sensitive and deeply upset by the destruction of the natural world, and doctors want to medicate him. Instead, Theo enrolls him in an experimental treatment that trains his brain using recordings of his late mother's emotions.
How long does it take to read Bewilderment?
About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Bewilderment?
If you liked it, try The Overstory by Richard Powers, Playground by Richard Powers or Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes.