The main character, Jason, is a survivor of a high school shooting who has to deal with the fallout of the tragedy and its effects on his personal relationships.
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“Hey Nostradamus!” is divided into four sections, with a different character narrating each section.
Section #1: Narrated by Cheryl. The story opens with a Columbine-like school massacre. One of the victims, 17 year old Cheryl, had secretly married her high school sweetheart Jason just weeks before the shooting. Jason arrives the school to find Cheryl dead and he kills one of the gunmen.
Section #2: Narrated by Jason. Fast forward 11 years from the previous section and teenaged Jason is now an adult. His life has gone off the rails: He can't hold down a job and his days are fueled by speed and booze. Yet amongst the chaos, he still manages to be reflective. As an adult, Jason is once again in a situation to kill a person in self-defence but he doesn't.
Section #3: Narrated by Heather. She is Jason's current partner. Despite the chaos in Jason's life, he and Heather have managed to build a good relationship. But now Jason has gone missing. Some of this section involves Heather's interactions with Jason's father, Reg.
Section #4: Narrated by Reg. He is Jason's father. He was very religious earlier in his life but his stance has softened as he has aged. Jason is still missing but Reg devises a plan to hopefully bring him home.
Best part of story, including ending:
The strained relationship between Jason and his Dad Reg was the part that I could connect with the most.
Best scene in story:
Reg's letter to his son Jason. Reg isn't very likeable during the previous part of the novel but this letter gives him more dimension as a father who wanted to connect with his son (but didn't know how).
Opinion about the main character:
I liked Jason's ability to endure through tough times. Even in the midst of addiction problems he managed to form a meaningful (albeit quirky) relationship with his girlfriend Heather.
