Thom's Reviews > The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything

Not really science fiction, though John D. MacDonald wrote a lot of that in his early career, before turning to hard boiled crime fiction and Travis McGee. Two good characters in what is really a coming-of-age story with fantastic elements - I liked this quick read.

This not the first time I have read this, but this is the only book I've read from this author. As a kid, I was intrigued by the gimmick - a watch which can stop time for an hour. Often I thought about what I could do with that device, and while reading this I reconsidered those possibilities. On this re-read, however, I was struck by the solid characters. The appearance of Bonny Lee Beaumont really made this story, and I cannot today picture this firecracker played by Pam Dawber.

This story did start slowly, and the other characters are mostly caricatures - though I found myself rooting for the accountant Wilma Farnham. The villain and her cohorts are described as devious but come across as clueless.

A collection of MacDonald's science fiction stories (Other Times, Other Worlds) is on hold for me at the library, and I plan to delve into some of his other fiction as well - including the infamous Travis McGee. I may even rewatch the made-for-TV film of this book.