Marcelo Sandoval is 17 years old and has Asperger's Syndrome, one of the milder conditions on the autism spectrum. Overall, he functions like most guys his age, though he does have some socialization challenges that he faces. For example, he chooses to sleep in a tree house that is fully set up with electricity rather than joining his family in the house. He also constantly refers to himself in the third person rather than using the familiar "I."

With the start of summer, his father, a successful lawyer, has decided that he would like Marcelo (pronounced Mar-SELL-o) to attend the local public school next year rather than the school he has been attending for many years. It is a school for children and teens with special needs do to various forms of conditions and disabilities.

Marcelo is not happy with the idea. His previous school has helped him normalize his behavior and he loves working with the horses that are connected to the school for a therapy program it runs. Marcelo originally had plans for him to work with the horses over the summer, but negotiations with his father and with help from his mother, it is decided that he will work at his father's law firm. Marcelo's father hopes he will get an opportunity to prove that he can make it in the real world. If Marcelo proves successful at working at the firm in the mailroom, than he will be able to choose which school he will attend in the fall.

The mailroom is run by Jasmine, a young woman who stays on top of things even as most of the rest of the staff looks down on her. Many accuse her of getting special consideration from Macelo's father. She quickly makes it very clear that she had wanted to hire someone else for the position, but Jasmine steps up to make sure that Marcelo knows what he is doing. The two slowly build a friendship.

Marcelo is also paired up with Marshall, I am not sure if the similarities between the names was chosen to highlight their difference, but these two couldn't be more opposite. Marshall's dad is one of the top lawyers in the firm. Most would say that he reports only to Marcelo's dad, though the two don't really like each other. Their unique talents make them need to work together because it makes for a successful firm. Marshall is also being forced against his wishes to take a position at the firm.

The firm is representing a major client who is being sued over defective windshields it uses. They are meant to shatter in order to protect car passengers, but they are not doing so. Marshall is supposed to be working to help organize the case so the firm can make the best attempt at defending one of its biggest clients. Considering his time as a student at Yale, Marshall probably could have interned anywhere, but he is being used as a tool in the "cold war" between his dad and Marshall's father.

Both dads also encourage the guys to hang out together and get to know each other. Neither has a real interest in doing so, but Marcelo is willing to give it a try. He quickly learns that Marshall has ulterior motives, both professional ones and romantic ones. Marshal wants Marcelo to pretty much do his project for him, and he is also hoping Marcelo will help hook him up with Jasmine so they can, well, hook up.

As you can see, Marshall is pretty slimy. In fact, so many of the characters in this book are difficult to like because of the way they treat Marcelo and some of the things they are willing to do for the business. On the flip side, the book does do a wonderful job of presenting what it is like to live with Asperger's Syndrome, or a condition that is very similar. The writing, particularly in the beginning as the reader gets used to it, comes across as awkward and stilted, but it definitely works when you consider the fact that the author is seriously trying to bring us into Marcelo's world view.

I did enjoy the storyline. It was both interesting in its perspective, and the subplot tied to the case the firm is working on is very intriguing. It adds a little bit of Erin Brokovich a moral dilemma for Marcelo, which allows for a great deal of personal growth. It makes him have to consider what the difference between right and wrong and the idea of having serious consequences for standing up for what you really think is right. Jasmine proves to be quite helpful, and their relationship is one of true friendship, which nicely counterbalances the odd interaction between Marcelo and Marshall.

My only concern is that the story seems to move very slowly. I felt bogged down in the storyline at times. With that said, I am really not sure what Stork could have done differently with the tale. I am pretty doubtful that teens, who are the primary audience of the novel, are going to really want to read it. The cover makes sense, but it definitely doesn't scream "Read ME!". I do think that strong readers who can be convinced to pick it up will be nicely surprised by the content.

This is only the second novel that I know of that looks at what it is like to be a teen living with Asperger's Syndrome. The other is Asparagus Dreams by Jessica Peers, which i think presents the topic in a more entertaining fashion, but I am not sure that it does it to the same depth. Peers' work is a better option for teens looking for a book with characters who, like them, have the syndrome. Stork's work seems more appropriate for other people to see what it is like to live with it.