Beneath all the tech, cultural references, and imaginative indulgence, Wired correspondent Doctorow’s geek fantasy portrays a misfit’s struggle to connect with the people around him. An ex-shopkeeper courts a reluctant-angel babe next door and helps deploy a grassroots Wi-Fi network, all while he struggles with his impossible family (his mom is a washing machine, and his little brother, Davey, is a murderous corpse).
Paul Spinrad, Wired
