Read my complete review at http://bit.ly/LOhyaB

Conundrum resonated with me on many levels, having experiences which mirrored those in the book. People I love are burdened with the very real, life-altering effects of depression and bipolar disorder. Others struggle with their interpersonal relationships and their inability to see beyond the mistaken truths they have created for themselves to cope with the unhappiness in their lives. Ms. Lakin takes these issues head-on, as she does marital discord, infertility and financial disaster.

She takes them on, works her characters through them one incredibly painful step at a time, offers some hope, allows others the imperfect happiness they have fought for, and stepped away from still others in disassociation to protect the rest. Neither does she leave any of them faultless or absolutely justified in their actions, even the best-meaning of them. In Conundrum, there are no absolutes, no pat answers, no definitive "vorpal sword to defeat the Jabberwok".

Set in 1986, in rural-ish Marin Country, California, north of San Francisco, the central plot of the story revolves around Lisa's journey into her father's past. A brilliant mathematician, Nathan Sitterhoff worked in the aerospace industry which provided nuclear energy for the long-distance space probes of the Gemini project. In this story within the story, well-developed and well-researched, Ms. Lakin's plot, characters, and motivations all ring true.

In the process of uncovering the truth one fragment at a time, Lisa Sitterhoff alienates her family and raises more questions than she could ever hope to answer. Seeking out associations 25 years gone, each character involved relates their own personal, often conflicting truths. It is up to Lisa to jury-rig the mismatched perspectives together to create a hazy, incomplete picture of the past—one that will ultimately set all three siblings free. For me, the ordeal resembled watching someone else work a jigsaw puzzle with my hands tied behind my back and my mouth taped shut.

However, the mystery of Nathan's death serves as a catalyst to healing and hope for his children, rather like chemotherapy. Truth, the figurative drug necessary to bring about the emotional recovery so desperately required first must bring the family body as near death as possible. Ms. Lakin uses the metaphor of cancer to powerfully incorporate the lies, half-truths and misconceptions that quite nearly destroy Raff, Lisa's marriage, and any hope Neal ever has of becoming more than his mother's appendage.

With her intelligent, insightful prose, Ms. Lakin has created very real, very flawed characters struggling with raw, debilitating circumstances. However, she manages to do so while yet maintaining her own standards. More importantly, she broaches the themes of hope, healing, forgiveness and compassion in a manner anyone of any faith (or lack thereof) can embrace. While her characters engage in some very un-Christian activities, profoundly worldly and she faces them head-on, in Conundrum, she proves my thesis that one need not resort to the salacious, crass and profane to create truly great fiction.

Conundrum is not a fast read. It is not even a fun read. However, it is intensely profound and compelling, one to pause over, read again and surrender to introspection—one which tempts the reader not only onward into more of Ms. Lakin's works but also to the classics which have so obviously influenced her.

Bottom line: I very much enjoyed this book and recommend it. I found it a welcome change of pace and a great addition to my library. ( )