Change of Luck
You Don’t Get It
A young man’s ethics are tested by the presence of mysterious money in the coming-of-age novel Change of Luck.
In Ken Saik’s supernatural mystery novel Change of Luck, a young man is plagued by a cursed hundred-dollar bill.
Nick is a teenager who works at a sports equipment store. His coworkers like to play pool in the back after their shifts, which leads to Nick’s coworker, Conrad, inviting him to play pool at the local youth center. Nick is excited to hang out, but he has a startling problem: A hundred-dollar bill has attached itself to his wallet in an inexplicable way. He’ll buy something with it or give it to a friend, but the bill somehow always returns to his wallet. Every time this happens, Nick worries that the supposed recipient will think he ripped them off.
Nick is presented as honest and hardworking, but he spends his time meandering, playing pool and golfing with his friends. His personality beyond these hobbies is unknown, and his inner thoughts never go beyond his shallow activities. This is true of the other characters as well. His girlfriend, Leanne, is kind and likable but has no further defining qualities. And the friends Nick makes through golf are interchangeable buddies.
Throughout, the characters speak in a robotic manner, suggesting a distance in their relationships that is at odds with how their connections are otherwise presented. Even when Nick speaks to his close friends and family, the exchanges are awkward. For example, when Nick’s father buys him new golf clubs, Nick says, “Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!” The book’s descriptions are also mechanical, and repetition occurs among them.
The book’s progression is uneven: It begins with the pool hall and hints at the mystery behind the ever-returning hundred-dollar bill. But when Nick attends a pet show with Leanne, these concerns are backgrounded, with each pet performance described in detail. Elsewhere, repetition sets in: At several points, people peer pressure Nick into expensive purchases, after which the bill returns to his wallet and he worries about being discovered. Each successive time the money is brought up, interest dissipates in the truth behind it.
However, excitement picks up in the final third of the novel, which concerns a golf tournament Nick participates in. While he’s competing, his concerns regarding the returning money come to a head. Indeed, Nick becomes intentional about figuring out why the bill is attached to him, leading to an exciting search for answers and a satisfying ending.
In the mysterious coming-of-age novel Change of Luck, a boy finds his community and learns the importance of truth.
Reviewed by
Anna Karnedy
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
