Most people have no problem doing the wrong things in life; it’s the good deeds that people have trouble with.

But in Steven Sobel’s debut novel, “Collecting Sins,” everything takes place on the flip side of reality.

“Sins” is set against the backdrop of Southern California in the late 1960s on into the early ’70s. Life was different then, from Vietnam to free love, and in the character of Ben, we find a youth caught somewhere in the middle of the war and love of the era.

Sixteen-year-old Ben comes from a troubled home life, with an alcoholic father and a careless mother, but he doesn’t let his troubles stop him from being happy.

When anyone else would become overwhelmed by an abusive father and a cancer-stricken girlfriend, Ben takes these downfalls and uses them as inspiration.

Early in the story, Ben finds himself trapped in the sewers as his friend, Graham, feels the need to venture into the underground tunnels to collect sins for confession. The absurdity of actually looking for evil does phase Ben as he continues on with his friend.

While trapped, the pair find an unconscious woman lying in one of the tunnels. As his friend runs away scared, Ben tries to get help for the woman. When the police fail, he takes it upon himself to rescue her alone.

To Ben, this is a sign that his life is meant to be full of adventure. After that, the carefree teen-ager decides to hitchhike everyday to the beach and look for more adventures in life. Soon, he comes up with lists for his life. There is a list of great things, good things and sins, like those that Graham goes looking for.

Although youth and the painful process of growing up are becoming popular topics to write about, Sobel takes his story and Ben’s character one step further than most. The reader is allowed a look into the true nature of Ben, while also being given a glimpse of what he lets other people see.

In Ben, Sobel creates a likable, realistic and believable character that anyone can relate to. Everyone needs to remind themselves of what life was like at age 16.

By the end of this book, Ben realizes that his life is great, even without grand adventures.

Sobel reminds us all that life is an adventure every day.

Kelsey Foutch is a junior in journalism and mass communication from Waterloo.