Occasionally, I come across a book that I deem worthy of sharing (well, worthy in my humble estimation).  Please understand that as most of my day is spent in the horizontal position, I typically have three to five books on the go at any time.  Most of what I read does not merit attention here, but Fishbowl by Bradley Somer, definitely deserves a mention. 

In a twist of perspective, Ian, the goldfish, is outside the bowl and plummeting from his perch on the top floor of an apartment building.  As he falls, he catches a glimpse of the lives that occupy this multi-storied box, and those stories become the focus of the novel.

Somer has created a cast of characters –  sometimes comical, sometimes poignant – who reflect a common struggle to live a meaningful life despite personal challenges.    When lives intersect, in unexpected ways, transformation occurs.

I purchased the audio version of this book from audible.com and found the narration by Peter Berkrot to be quite effective, although sleep inducing, at times.   In print form, I suspect I would have been compelled to finish the novel sooner.

What drew me to the story in the first place was a poem I had written some time ago, also featuring a goldfish’s point of view.  Intrigued to see that someone else had the same quirky inspiration – enough to turn it into a full length novel – I couldn’t resist a look.  I was not disappointed.

A copy of the poem, Goldfish Reflections, can be found here.