The Noticer by Andy Andrews can be summed up by an introduction given by the main character, Jones, “I notice things about situations and people that produce perspective.” The book follows his varied connections to members in a small ocean-side town, and the amazing impact his periodic visits have upon their lives. He pops in and out of their lives over the course of many decades, and truly helps each on to find perspective on their own lives.
The book can be read in one brief sitting and will inspire hope and motivate those who themselves need to have an encounter with Jones and find perspective for their own situation. Most likely someone’s story will intersect with the reader’s own life.
However, after page 36 I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the book. Suddenly Jones’ wisdom was clearly cleaned from other authors, and from there his wisdom devolved into trite Christian culture clichés
At first, I enjoyed the wise sayings espoused by Jones, thinking it was a non-fiction story. Instead, The Noticer turned out to be a pseudo-spiritual story with a small town messianic figure named Jones. If it were an allegory for orthodox Christian theology I would have found it satisfying, but by the end I was once again disappointed by the perpetuation of American Folk Religion disguised as the Truth.
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