Innocence

The story is told from the point of view of Addison Goodheart, a 26 year old man who has something about his appearance that repulses people and drives them to violence so he lives in isolation under New York City.
Through the story we learn more and more about Addison's life. He lived with his mother in a cabin deep in the woods until he was 8. His mother did her best but found it very difficult be be affectionate toward Addison and have him around her. When he was 8 she packed him a bag then told him to leave. Following this she killed herself. Addison was able to make it to the city where he meets a man he would call his Father. His Father suffered the same physical affliction that Addison does. Father lives in a three room area under the similar that is like a bomb shelter. They live there together for 12 years, when Father was attacked and beaten to death. From aged 20 to 26 Addison lived alone making only careful and quick trips up to the city. On one such trip he meets 18 year old Gwyneth.
Gwyneth is a girl dressed in a girl suffering social phobia in a Goth style she fashioned after some marionettes. She is after a library curator Ryan Telford, who is stealing works of art and also murdered her father.
Like many Dean Koontz books you are quickly thrown into the action with the revelations come rather quickly at the end. This particular story takes an abruptly weird turn with 50 pages left.
Addison joins Gwyneth on her mission. She needs to destroy 2 of the remaining marionettes from a set of 6 because when Gwyneth modeled her Goth look after them they became aware of her. But, that plot really doesn't go anywhere...
When she confronts Ryan Telford who apparently is infected with the Plague and we learn on page apx 290 of 320 that there is a plague of pandemic proportions and humanity is quickly dying. Ok?
Then we get the reveal that Gwyneth actually has the same physical affliction Addison does. So what is this affliction? As it turns out, they are essentially mirrors for people's souls. They and a few other select people were born without the original sin. They are pure and innocent so when people see them they don't see the person but rather see all their own faults, sins, and short comings like a kaleidoscope of hopelessness and self-loathing.
With four children who are like them Addison and Gwen go off to a cabin deep in the woods to live together in peace. I look at this as an analogy Addison=Adam and Gwen=Eve; they are returning to the Garden.