Gregory SherlRezensionen

More like 3 1/2 stars

The Future For Curious People by Gregory Sherl imagines a world where people can visit envisionists to get a peek at their romantic futures.

...

But these characters can briefly look into the future, rather than stewing endlessly about feeling not-unhappy, and they can glimpse how their lives would turn out with different partners. Bart and Amy, Godfrey's smug-coupled friends, see their future selves happily sailing on a boat, and are reassured that they've made their right choice. But in most cases, the future scenes portray more of the not-unhappy feelings in the present-day relationship. Bickering about nothing, or living separately under the same roof, with realistic hopelessness.

Read my full review here.

A light-hearted, amusing "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for the OK Cupid age. The plot revolves around a new technology that allows "curious people" to look into their future with a partner. You can also choose anyone you've known in your life and test out your future with that person -- the same thing many people do idly on Facebook, scrolling through the newsfeed. I thought the book was very timely and a lot fun, with cute characters and a surprisingly moving depiction of true love that I appreciated. Recommended as a sweet, quick read that's a little bit thoughtful, too.

Two mid-twenty somethings, living in a world where you can choose to view a snippet of your romantic future with a person of your choice, unknowingly lead themselves into a quagmire of love, heartbreak, and obsession. The premise of The Future for Curious People by Gregory Sherl asks the questions, if you could know your future with your significant other, would you take that risk? And if you did, how far would you go to find true love?

The novel, while incredibly creative, often feels a tad too ambitious. The chapters switch back and forth between two main characters, Evelyn and Godfrey. Both narrators are in serious and complicated relationships with other people, which carries much of the plot of the novel. While Evelyn and Godfrey live incredibly detailed and full lives, it is often challenging to see past the stereotypical “other man” and “other woman” aspects of their significant others, Adrian and Madge. The underdevelopment of these two characters makes it exceedingly difficult to understand the decisions that our main characters make.

The “envisioning” sessions are some of the most interesting sections of the novel. In this world, people pay professionals to allow them to view a mini-movie of their future with a specific person, usually their significant other at the time. There are predetermined time jumps (10, 15, 20 years, etc.), as well as intriguing restrictions, particularly the inability to see products, as this knowledge could be used to the viewer’s commercial advantage. Also, most sessions last less than a few minutes, so they really only show a brief moment of the future. While the author scatters many envisioning sessions throughout the novel, some confuse more than elaborate the plot. Evelyn, who becomes obsessed with her romantic future, spews out various names in her sessions, often too many for the reader to keep straight. Many times I found myself struggling to remember specific people that she referenced once or twice at the beginning of the book, which became frustrating.

While I was impressed by the ideas and themes throughout, the plot occasionally seemed all over the place. While our main characters do “meet” fairly early in the story, they remain virtual strangers until half-way through the novel. This plot choice confuses, as I feel the two characters’ relationship could never be realized fully. There simply was not enough time for them to grow into a believable one.

All in all, the author managed to emphasize core themes, but fell a bit short on the details that add heart to the story. While the plot did not always capture my attention, the book still had enjoyable parts. As singular characters, Evelyn and Godfrey were incredibly relatable and entertaining, and they both left me laughing out-loud several times. Unfortunately, for a book about love, the relationships were not strong enough to leave me yearning for more.

You can go to an envisionist to see what your current relationship (or relationship to any person, really) will be in the future. Really only supposed to be used once or twice, some people become addicted to finding the perfect future. But when two people start appearing in all of each other's futures, it seems that they might be meant to be.

Cute, it made me wonder if that is a service I would partake in, but I don't think I ever would. Some things just need to be hoped for and worked at.

This is a sweet and light romance set around the idea of "envisioning", which the book presents as a possible way to see the future. People can go see an envisionist like they see a doctor and request to see what their future looks like in 5,10, or 15 years. When this book opens, envisioning is seen as the cause of a relationship's dissolution for Evelyn Shriner and likewise Godfrey Burkes' potential fiancee puts a hold on their relationship until they visit an envisionist. It's fun to watch Evelyn and Godfrey work their way towards each other and I would definitely recommend this for someone looking for a light romantic novel.

I was drawn to this novel by the premise. What if we could see our future as couple with another person? The premise also seemed to me like a different take on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Instead of erasing memories of a bad relationship, you can prevent them from happening at all.
Although generally well-written, I wasn't pulled into the story and didn't find it compelling. I also didn't feel engaged with the characters. Overall I feel this is likely due to personal preference, therefore if you are intrigued by the premise, I recommend reading this novel.

Note: Early Reviewer - I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

How many times have you looked back at the past and thought, "If I'd only known then what I know now?" How often have you wished you could tell the future so you could be assured of making the right decision? This could explain the appeal of time machines in science fiction, a chance to change our decisions and make a different future for ourselves. Even without this imaginary technology, very frequently we live a life of "if only" or "what if." In Gregory Sherl's inventive new novel, The Future for Curious People, there is a way to see what your future is going to look like. You can choose to move ahead or to take a different path. In the world of Sherl's novel, you can see what your life with one person or another is going to be. The question is, if you can see the future, what do you do about it?

Evelyn Shiner is breaking up with her musician boyfriend because their future together is petty and small. She actually knows this, having gone to an envisionist and watched a scene from their future together where they sing happy birthday to a Chihuahua and argue over cheese. This is not the romantic future she wants and so she must say goodbye to Adrian. Her obsession then becomes, who should she be with? And it's only by continuing to see her envisionist, Dr. Chin, that that question can be answered satisfactorily. Godfrey Burkes has proposed to his girlfriend Madge but she's unwilling to give him an answer or wear his ring until they consult an envisionist about their future together. So Godfrey, despite many reservations, goes to visit Dr. Chin to see how his life with Madge will turn out. While in line, he helps Evelyn briefly and in that moment, she somehow becomes imprinted on his unconscious and the two of them are permanently linked.

Told in first person with chapters alternating between Evelyn's story and Godfrey's story, the novel is a technological fantasy, a romance, an examination of the pitfalls of knowing the future, and a charming look at what we are all searching for: happiness, contentment, companionship, and true love. Evelyn is a librarian who loves her job. She is a "ghost child," a child only conceived after the tragic death of her older sister and she's always felt that she could never live up to this golden child who came before her in her parents' eyes; she's never felt fully loved or valued. So she's becoming just a little bit addicted to envisioning her future, looking for her happily ever after. Evelyn is such a romantic and so wants to believe in the happily ever after that, even as a volunteer reader recording books for the blind, she is changing the endings of classic books. Gatsby doesn't die. Nor does Anna Karenina. Everyone gets a happy ending. Godfrey is a bit of a forgetful bumbler, forever leaving his cell phone and his wallet behind. He is trying hard to make his life with Madge work, not only going to the envisionist she wants him to consult but also to another professional to try and change the pitiful future they see into one in which they are happy together. He worries about his inborn nature, having cast his biological father in the role of a womanizing animal and fearing that he has inherited this tendency to polygamy and thoughtlessness. As he worries about what unpleasant traits he might have inherited and tries each and every thing that Madge requests of him to save their future together, he also can't stop seeing an unknown woman whenever he looks to that future, a woman who turns out to be Evelyn.

Both characters are very likable and watching them navigate their lives and try to find their way to a deserved happiness is delightful. Each of them is completely vulnerable but still open and hopeful. The technology that allows them to meet each other isn't really described in terms of how it works, it just exists. But this is okay, leaving the emphasis on the human aspect of the story rather than the technological potential. In fact, there is even a warning that in cases of true love, there can be malfunctions and odd happenings. And of course, in Evelyn and Godfrey's cases, there are plenty of strange complications where current life inadvertently integrates into the brief snapshots of the future that they see. The premise of the novel is charming and the presentation quirky and appealing. Sherl has created well-rounded characters who come alive on the page and make us all think about our present, our future, and the ways in which both of these are shaped by the past as well as the here and now. Not a romance in the traditional sense, this is a thoughtful and humorous look at the utter unpredictability of love.

As much as I avoid making explicit reference to other works, asserting they are in the same vein as some other other literary work, this time around, the predecessors are so clearly relevant and influential, in a good way that it is would be a disservice to avoid. Two of the most obvious to consider are the classic Phillip K. Dick novella "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" and Michelle Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind" but flip the arrow of time; instead of having the protagonist look back have them look forward to the possible. In Gregory Sheri's "The Future for Curious People" you won't forget the tragic what came before or invent the fantastic that hasn't happened (well except on the off chance that it did...). Instead have a chance to look down the trousers of time and see your life at some point in the distant future with a person of your specification were you to leap down that particular leg with aforementioned person. So come on down visit your envisionist find out if mr. today is mr. forever and enjoy the ride of a mildly surreal, funny, at its heart philosophical love story.

The basic concept of "The Future for Curious People" is that a technology exists that allows you to give a name of a person, so long as they exist in the systems database, you can then pick a particular year in the future and see what your life with this person is like. The obvious and most frequent use is to check out potential life mates. That guy you jut had coffee with who was so cute, witty, lively conversation. Well take a quick trip past the bagel hut and before the Nail-A-Rama step into the offices of your local envisionist one Dr. Chin, PHD, MD, ESQ, CPA and find out well turns out 20 years later he has transformed into a schmucky serial adulterer.The vaguely scammy envisioning technology is widespread and everyone has pretty much accepted that it works. Can't argue with the results.

The book begins with Godfrey, strongly opposed to envisioning, receiving an ultimatum from his girlfriend Madge. Before they can move forward with their relationship they must visit an envisionist and get definitive proof that they are meant to be together. Meanwhile, young librarian Evelyn is well on her way to becoming addicted to envisioning sessions and endless visits to check out every casual date, not to mention non-date random encounters, fishing to find her true love.

Not too hard to guess the general trajectory of the story; but the charm in this book come from how we get there. First, from enjoying the voyeuristic look we share with our present day into the futures of our protagonists. From there to characters contemplating the rest of the scene. Starting to wonder what really makes a future and what they can really draw from the few moments they experienced. Finally in a more interesting twist starting to deal with break downs in the technology. With the future selves becoming aware of past selves and as potential, nominally independent futures beginning to collapse into a coherent single future.

"The Future for Curious People" was a really engaging read. It was both an enjoyable love story and an interesting consideration of how to define reality whether in the present or the possible one day.

The Future for Curious People tells the story of a world where scientists have recently developed a new technology that allows you to see a glimpse of your romantic future with any person you choose. With this premise as a backdrop, Gregory Sherl had my interest before I even started the book. As soon as I began, I was instantly engrossed with his phenomenal ability to get right to the heart of any situation and make the characters live and breathe. This book made me laugh out loud on public transportation. It also made me yearn deeply for something that I can't define.

Despite its romantic plot, Sherl's book doesn't read like a typical romance novel. It's more about examining one's notions of romantic happiness than getting a happily ever after.

And despite its futuristic premise, it doesn't read like a science fiction novel. The technology is secondary to the characters, and the characters must face certain universal questions because of it: If you saw an unhappy future with a person you love, would you give up on them or work to change it? Is there even such a thing as a happy future, or just one in which we don't give up?

I enjoyed this book. it was a fun light read. It was nothing groundbreaking but i would recommend it those who like stories of relationships. my only complaint is there needed to be more characters. It really only follows 2 people and I wanted more. It is not a must read but you will not be disappointed it you do choose this book½

Review based on ARC.

I've struggled with how to review this book. After finishing the book, I learned that there is one woman and potentially several others who have made accusations against the author for abuse of various kinds. These accusations do not appear to be substantiated--at least, not as of yet. Do you support an author who engages in abuse? Is it relevant to the review? So, I'll simply say this: I absolutely do not condone abuse of any kind against anyone. I also absolutely do not condone false accusations of assault. Since the truth of the matter is not known at this time, I believe it makes the most sense to review the book solely on its merits.

THE MERITS:
When I finished this book, I was completely satisfied with the story. Although it's not perfect, it is complete.

So, the premise. I LOVE the premise. In this not too distant future, people can look at a moment (several moments) of their relationships to see how they fare in the future. You can look at your current relationship or a hopeful relationship or a past relationship (assuming you get back together) to see how it all works out and if your'e satisfied with where you are at that time.

And so our protagonists do. Evelyn, quirky librarian and volunteer book-reader, looks into her future to see how things work out with her musician boyfriend. And Godfrey, cell-phone recoverer, is bullied into doing the same with his to-be fiancee. And neither is altogether pleased with the peek they see. So they go peeking a little more, hoping they'll stumble onto a future that satisfies them more.

With classic elements of a romantic-comedy, a "what-if" tale about how our desires to know the future to our detriment unfolds. I read it quickly, in a sort of blur of needing to know how it all unfolds! It is funny and at times sad and at times poignant and thoughtful and, best of all, interesting and unique! I love the concept of getting a quick peek into your future -- but only as it pertains to romance. I love the limited quality of this futuristic technology.

And Sherl did a great job with his characters. Of course Evelyn and Godfrey are well developed, but the peripheral characters are all relatively three-dimensional and interesting. I definitely want to know more about Dr. Chin's back story, and I'm curious about the lost significant others along the way...

Overall, a great story, a great read, a great hypothetical exercise. Although it's true the science could have been more fully developed, the characters a little more robust, you hardly notice these things as you speed through Sherl's world and pal up next to his characters.

Definitely recommended!
FOUR of five stars.

"The Future for Curious People" is a fun and funny romp through a what-if world where people can peer into hypothetical romantic futures by entering in someone's name on a computer, strapping on a helmet and swallowing some pills in a doctor's office. Its main characters, Evelyn and Godfrey find themselves doing just this in Dr Chin's office/notary/former Chinese take-out restaurant and from their first meeting, they are drawn to each other in their hypothetical video futures and in their real lives. I loved this book and find it hard to believe that it is author Gregory Sherl's first novel. I look forward to his future works, romantic or otherwise. It is easy to picture this as a rom-com movie, but there is less fluff here. The main characters are extremely likeable, the pace is spot-on and I was sorry for the book to end. Wonderful read!

I should not have liked this book. I'm not a big fan of romantic comedies; don't care for sci-fi at all, and this book has elements of both. But, I loved it. Here's why: the characters are so real; the humour is witty. The premise of being able to see your future is so intriguing. So, while the plot follows the usual arc of romantic comedies, it is never trite or stale -- because the characters are so well written, the "envisioning" concept is fresh and full of possibilities, and the writing is crisp. I would read more by this author for sure.

Received this book thru the Early Review program here on LT. A nice little book that has quirky Rom/Com movie written all over it. In the world of the book, the obsession of the moment is going to the envisionist, where a bit of technology and mysterious drug allows people to see (or envision) their future with their prospective mate. The costs are even covered under your health insurance (go figure).

The story alternates between Evelyn, a librarian who just broke up with her musician boyfriend and Godfrey, who works at the Department of Unclaimed Goods and has just proposed to his girlfriend. She becomes addicted or obsessed with the visions, while He has to go, or his girlfriend won't accept his proposal.

Through circumstances and a bit of serendipity, Evelyn and Godfrey begin a relationship and fall in love. And with all good romantic comedies, tragedy comes into play in the end, misunderstandings occur, anger is felt, but the resolution and climax to the story is inevitable and satisfying.

Perhaps a bit too hipsterish for me (who today, under the age of 40 is named Evelyn or Godfrey), but I liked the almost sci-fi aspect of the envisioning. A worth while read.

A couple clips to peak your interest...

"Carbs" he finally says, shaking his head. Jason doesn't eat carbs. This is bad. I love bread. My favorite food groups go cheese, bread, cheese bread and soup served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread.

"Look, science and the mysteries of true love can only coexist for so long before weird shit occurs"

"What I wouldn't give to be Charlie from Firestarter. Watch Adam's sweater vest light up in flames. Watch him flail around the library. I wouldn't let him die, obviously... but he'd have to spend the night in the hospital."

S: 9/28/14 F: 10/6/14 (10 Days)

Well, this is awkward. Now many of the other books I have given five stars to, need to move down a star. Not all, but many. I will fall in love with a book if it has one or two unbelievable lines and this one has an endless number. Full disclosure, I work in a library so I understand how plausible the crazy library stories actually are. Not everyone might get that. The last word quotes, the cab driver, the duck. The "last man standing" method of promotion. I'm not writing this well and I can't even remember all the great parts. I will have to read it again some day and I don't do that. But the book was written well and it will stay one of my all time favorites. It's funny that I liked it because it's actually too young for me. It makes references to the Pixie's that I will have to ask my kids about. But the humor is timeless. One note about the cover. It's awful. I have the green cover. When I received the book and looked at the cover I thought, "Why did I request this?" which sounds silly and trivial. Now that I am done with it and loved it so much, I will pass it along to a librarian who actually gave away her copy unread because she just hated the cover but now that I've gone on about it, she wants to read the book. Thank you so much to Library Thing Early Reviewers for this fantastic book!

A young librarian named Evelyn becomes obsessed with this new technology: she can't stop visiting Dr. Chin's office because she needs to know that she'll meet someone and be happy one day. Godfrey, another client, ends up at the envisionist's office only because his fiancée insisted thy know their fate before taking the plunge. But when Godfrey meets Evelyn in the waiting room, true love may be right in front of them, but they are too preoccupied--and too burdened by their pasts--to recognize it. Summary book jacket

I requested THE FUTURE FOR CURIOUS PEOPLE from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program when I saw that Lydia Netzer (remember SHINE SHINE SHINE?) said "I loved it!". I was not disappointed (did you know that is an example of litotes?).

THE FUTURE FOR CURIOUS PEOPLE is like the best indie film of the year: the female lead, Evelyn, a librarian who volunteers to record classic literature for the sight impaired and changes the sad to happy endings (Charlotte the spider, Anna Karenina, Mme Bovary are all saved"); male lead ,Godfrey, works as a labeler at the Department of Unclaimed Goods and is about to propose to his tyrannical (but highly comical when angry) girlfriend Madge. Throw in a kleptomaniac bestie, a homeless woman dyeing her hair in the library's restroom and an "envisionist" whose office space previously housed a Chinese restaurant and you've got the next Sundance best film! Even leaving the truly awful yet hilarious parallel couple, Bart and Amy, for the DVD deleted scenes extra.

Evelyn waiting for an important text reveals that her parents still pay her cell phone bill says: It's like a drug that my parents pay for every month."

Godfrey during an "envisioning" session: "Future-me starts the minivan. Barry Manilow's 'Mandy' comes on the radio. I don't know what's more surprising: the fact that they still play Barry Manilow on the radio in fifteen years or that I'll be okay with listening to Barry Manilow on the radio in fifteen years."

Author Gregory Sherl has created unforgettable people who worry and fuss and argue and love and try to be kind and faithful and hope and keep on keeping on. All alive with humorous, mean, poignant and bottom-line truthful language.

I want more, Mr. Sherl!

9 out of 10. Highly recommended!½

I won this book through the early reviewers program. I was interested in the plot and in what would happen if you could see your future with a certain partner.This was a quick and lighthearted book. There were several parts that made me laugh out loud, which is something that I look for in a story. There were times when it felt like the characters were trying too hard to be quirky and different and it seemed a little contrived, but that's really my only complaint with the book. It was definitely smart, original and funny. It reminded me of eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, but way less depressing.½

This love story was funny at times, but I was unable to really feel involved in the story. I think all the characters were a little too quirky and the romantic future envisioning was strange.½

The premise to this book was intriguing - what if you could get a glimpse of what your future life would be like with a particular romantic partner, 10,15 or 40 years from now? Would that change whether you wanted to stay in the relationship? That question is explored in this humorous book with chapters alternating between Evelyn and Godfrey, who are in less than perfect relationships with other people. Humour is a very personal thing and much of it seemed a little farcical but there were some great lines for sure. I particularly liked the character of Evelyn, a librarian, and her musings on books and libraries. The story definitely kept me interested, wanting to know what crazy things would happen next to these people, but in the midst of all the craziness the book also explored the nature of romantic relationships and the importance of being true to your own nature. Definitely a fun read.

A really charming, quirky book which speaks to the challenge of taking the leap of faith required by relationships and embracing the future. There was a place about a third of the way in, it seemed it might rework some old ideas but then it took a great turn.

I won this book through the Early Reviewers scheme.

The premise of this novel is that people can go to an "envisionist" and "see" their romantic future with any individual they choose. Madge insists that she and Godfrey go to envisionists before she will agree to become engaged to him. Evelyn goes to the same envisionist as Godfrey (Dr Chin) and breaks up with Adrian partly because she is disappointed in their joint future as revealed by Dr Chin's apparatus. It is pretty clear from the beginning the way the story is going to go, but that doesn't really matter. There were lots of great characters: Dot, Evelyn's kleptomaniac friend, and even Madge in her way.

There is a lot of humour here and a lot of it is so subtle I probably missed some of it. I love that Dr Chin is not, in fact, Chinese, but was adopted. It made me laugh that each future "vision" is interrupted by an advert for one of Dr Chin's many other businesses and that brand names in visions are blurred out to avoid lawsuits. I found the last couple of chapters a little bit confusing and had to re-read exactly what Evelyn was attempting and how Godfrey rescued her. The whole envisioning thing doesn't really bear thinking about in too much detail and the author relies on Dr Chin's disclaimer that true love may cause interference and odd results.

I think the idea of the book was that you know true love when you see it and that Evelyn and Godfrey's issues are really with their parents/childhoods. There were lots of musings about the future and whether you can really change it, which probably deserve another read through. This is a good-hearted book with an off-beat sense of humour.

Just got this today,and I am already loving it! It's such an interesting plot line, and the characters are simply adorable! Review to come the second I finish it.

Imagine a present where you can find out your future. Don't worry- it's science. It's your own brain working out the possibilities for you and whomever you happen to be dating/fantasizing about, anywhere from 1 to 50+ years in the future. Evelyn and Godfrey both want to know what their futures hold for them and they take turns telling the story.

There is a lot of wit and charm in the story and Evelyn is a librarian, so automatically you have to love her. In a way that's light, fresh, and philosophical without feeling like a life lesson, the characters address love, hope, longing, and what it means to face the unknown with the baggage life has handed us.

I was fortunate to receive this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program just as I was coming down with a virus. I know that sounds weird, but the rare sick day allowed me hours in bed to read this book cover to cover. It's such a charming and funny story about two very likable characters. Both of them are flawed, but in ways that the reader can relate to. Godfrey's train of thought made me laugh and really root for him.

The premise of the story was fresh and entertaining, that people could go to an envisionist to see scenes from their romantic futures. I could see people getting this crazed over doing it, which made it all the more funny.

I enjoyed this book very much, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little bit different.