A Good and Useful Hurt by Aric Davis

293 pages, 2011

Pain, whether physical or mental, is simply a fact of life. Sometimes we bring it on ourselves and other times it is cast upon us despite our every effort to keep it at bay. This novel brings them all together and reminds us that there is such thing as "a good and useful hurt." Experiencing pain and overcoming it helps us to grow and become stronger individuals and helps to remind us not to take life for granted, a point driven home on more than one occasion by Davis.

A piercer by trade, Davis provides excellent background information and realistic descriptions of tattoo and piercing practices as they relate to the book. But if you are a little squimish, don't worry, there's no over the top descriptions of either.

For only his third novel, I think Davis is embarking on a successful career. While some of the action was a little predictable, the overall focus is strong and some elements will keep you guessing until the end.