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jefffrane's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. David Simon has just finished production on a TV series based on the novel and I figured it had to be a good read. It's essentially an alt-history, set in a world where Lindbergh, who was an actual anti-semite, is still considered an American hero and easily wins election to the Presidency. I had to choose a star rating to post this but do not consider my rating a reflection of the quality. This is, after all, Philip Roth and he has great respect for a reason. But it just isn't my cup of tea and isn't what I want to read. It's very very slow and very detailed and the details don't appear to be advancing the story. I look forward to seeing what David Simon has done with it because he yet to let me down.
wirawin_aria's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
4.0
There were several sentences in this book that just reached out to grab me. In the middle of the beautiful plot, there would be this stunning sentence that was perfectly crafted to describe something inherent to ordinary life that I had struggled to describe. Beyond that, of course, is the gripping story. Taking as its main device the alteration of the 1940 presidential election, the plot unfolds from there. Told from the eyes of a young Jewish boy, it shows his story struggling to come to terms with what an anti-Semitic and isolationist president could mean for them. It is slightly breathtaking how easily that one choice by the country is used to change history in terrifying and sweeping ways. Mostly, what I loved, was the coming of age story. Inextricable from the national story, but still what made me love the book.
stjernesvarme's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vicblue's review
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lifepluspreston's review
4.0
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth--This fictional alternate history of the United States is difficult to put down. It changes one primary thing in American history--in 1940, as America's involvement in WWII seems more certain, Charles Lindbergh runs for President against FDR and wins, driving and enabling overt, targeted antisemitism. The story is told from the perspective of a Jewish family in New Jersey and is quite well researched. Truthfully, the book is more prescient than it even appears on the surface. Given the people who are referenced and the situations folks find themselves in, I expected this to be a book researched and completed in the last few years, not 20 years ago in 2004. There's a lot to consider here, but I think Roth does a good job of demonstrating how out-group marginalization can happen quickly and without warning, an idea which rings true at all times, but especially six months before an election. Thumbs up.
mikewardevrybdy's review
5.0
Written during the Bush era but strangely too relevant now. This book really shows how easy it is for everything to become a police state.
logolepsy_e's review against another edition
2.0
Il mio primo approccio a Roth non è stato dei migliori.
Il problema più grande di questo libro, per me, è stato il modo in cui ha disatteso non tanto le aspettative, quanto le sue stesse premesse. Ci troviamo infatti davanti a quella che dovrebbe/vorrebbe essere un'ucronia, ovvero una linea temporale alternativa rispetto alla Storia reale. In questo specifico caso, la storia si sviluppa intorno all'elezione di Lindbergh, simpatizzante fascista, a presidente degli USA. Le premesse sono promettenti, no?
No, perché quello che viene dopo la premessa è il nulla più totale. Non ci troviamo davanti a uno sviluppo interessante di questo avvenimento, bensì alla storia di una singola famiglia ebrea negli USA che si trova ad assistere ai (pochi) avvenimenti legati a questa elezione che accadono in un paio d'anni.
L'errore più grande di questo libro è, per me, a monte, ovvero nella natura stessa della scelta degli avvenimenti da narrare e dello sviluppo di questo "what if" che aveva invece un potenziale molto alto. Mi aspettavo di leggere un'interessante romanzo fanta-politico, invece mi sono trovata davanti al coming of age di un bambino che è pure particolarmente stupido e a tratti maligno.
L'ascesa e il declino dell'America fascista, invece, avvengono in circa otto pagine verso la fine del romanzo, relegate a un elenco di avvenimenti meno approfonditi di uno schemino di storia di un ragazzino delle medie. Il modo in cui Lindbergh sparisce dalle scene è imbarazzante, così come il modo in cui Roth si toglie dall'impiccio di dover chiudere la storia in modo interessante [spoiler] ricongiungendo la sua linea temporale alternativa con quella reale [/fine spoiler].
Insomma, se per la prima metà del libro si può pensare a un build up lento e costante che porterà a un climax avvincente, in realtà poi non ci si arriva mai e anzi, alla fine chiudi il libro e ti chiedi "ok ma allora qual era il punto?".
I personaggi da soli non bastano a sostenere questo scempio di intreccio, anche perché sono tutti degli imbecilli cronici, tranne due (mamma e papà Roth). La scrittura è per carità da 10, ma neanche lei da sola ce la fa a tenere in piedi questo pasticcio di libro.
La sensazione è che Roth abbia scritto un'opera di genere che non sapeva e soprattutto non aveva voglia di scrivere.
Mi è rimasta la voglia di scoprire perché Roth sia un autore così amato, quindi forse leggerò altro di suo, ma di sicuro più avanti, per ora ne ho avuto abbastanza.
Il problema più grande di questo libro, per me, è stato il modo in cui ha disatteso non tanto le aspettative, quanto le sue stesse premesse. Ci troviamo infatti davanti a quella che dovrebbe/vorrebbe essere un'ucronia, ovvero una linea temporale alternativa rispetto alla Storia reale. In questo specifico caso, la storia si sviluppa intorno all'elezione di Lindbergh, simpatizzante fascista, a presidente degli USA. Le premesse sono promettenti, no?
No, perché quello che viene dopo la premessa è il nulla più totale. Non ci troviamo davanti a uno sviluppo interessante di questo avvenimento, bensì alla storia di una singola famiglia ebrea negli USA che si trova ad assistere ai (pochi) avvenimenti legati a questa elezione che accadono in un paio d'anni.
L'errore più grande di questo libro è, per me, a monte, ovvero nella natura stessa della scelta degli avvenimenti da narrare e dello sviluppo di questo "what if" che aveva invece un potenziale molto alto. Mi aspettavo di leggere un'interessante romanzo fanta-politico, invece mi sono trovata davanti al coming of age di un bambino che è pure particolarmente stupido e a tratti maligno.
L'ascesa e il declino dell'America fascista, invece, avvengono in circa otto pagine verso la fine del romanzo, relegate a un elenco di avvenimenti meno approfonditi di uno schemino di storia di un ragazzino delle medie. Il modo in cui Lindbergh sparisce dalle scene è imbarazzante, così come il modo in cui Roth si toglie dall'impiccio di dover chiudere la storia in modo interessante [spoiler] ricongiungendo la sua linea temporale alternativa con quella reale [/fine spoiler].
Insomma, se per la prima metà del libro si può pensare a un build up lento e costante che porterà a un climax avvincente, in realtà poi non ci si arriva mai e anzi, alla fine chiudi il libro e ti chiedi "ok ma allora qual era il punto?".
I personaggi da soli non bastano a sostenere questo scempio di intreccio, anche perché sono tutti degli imbecilli cronici, tranne due (mamma e papà Roth). La scrittura è per carità da 10, ma neanche lei da sola ce la fa a tenere in piedi questo pasticcio di libro.
La sensazione è che Roth abbia scritto un'opera di genere che non sapeva e soprattutto non aveva voglia di scrivere.
Mi è rimasta la voglia di scoprire perché Roth sia un autore così amato, quindi forse leggerò altro di suo, ma di sicuro più avanti, per ora ne ho avuto abbastanza.
rballenger's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
<b> Type of read: </b> Commuter Read.
<b> What made me pick it up: </b> One of the prompts for the TN R.E.A.D.s challenge is to read an alternative history novel and 'The Plot Against America' caught my eye.
<b> Overall rating: </b> Let's start out with the obvious - I had to keep reminding myself that 'The Plot Against America' is fiction. Roth writes it in such a way that you feel as though you're being retold something by your grandfather. This book has a beautifully bland recollection quality - almost as if you were sat down at Sunday supper with your family and suddenly found out that your grandfather has this whole other life that you never even knew about. The casualness is one of the things that makes 'The Plot Against America' seem scarily real.
I did find I had to do this book in chunks and couldn't take on super long marathon sessions; however, I think that was more because of the audio and how I take in tones (the narrator was fabulous but they had a tone and cadence that was very mellow and somewhat monotone - in the best sort of way - and that made it to where it was easier for me to zone out). Because of this, I wish the chapters were broken down into more manageable chunks, or there was more breathing room in the audio. I did listen to it at 1.25 speed, which isn't uncommon for me, and I still struggled to find natural pauses that didn't occur right at the chapter breaks.
'The Plot Against America' is an extremely slow-moving tale of what the world may have looked like if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940. I do think Roth could have made their point, and their story, stronger with a bit of editing to remove a bit of the mundanity.
Overall, I would recommend 'The Plot Against America' but with a few caveats due to the pacing and content of the book.
<b> Reader's Note: </b> 'The Plot Against America' includes themes of antisemitism, war, and prejudice. There is also some language that is used in the book that definitely fits the time and theme of 1940s America but that may not be as common or accepted with today's general audience.
<b> What made me pick it up: </b> One of the prompts for the TN R.E.A.D.s challenge is to read an alternative history novel and 'The Plot Against America' caught my eye.
<b> Overall rating: </b> Let's start out with the obvious - I had to keep reminding myself that 'The Plot Against America' is fiction. Roth writes it in such a way that you feel as though you're being retold something by your grandfather. This book has a beautifully bland recollection quality - almost as if you were sat down at Sunday supper with your family and suddenly found out that your grandfather has this whole other life that you never even knew about. The casualness is one of the things that makes 'The Plot Against America' seem scarily real.
I did find I had to do this book in chunks and couldn't take on super long marathon sessions; however, I think that was more because of the audio and how I take in tones (the narrator was fabulous but they had a tone and cadence that was very mellow and somewhat monotone - in the best sort of way - and that made it to where it was easier for me to zone out). Because of this, I wish the chapters were broken down into more manageable chunks, or there was more breathing room in the audio. I did listen to it at 1.25 speed, which isn't uncommon for me, and I still struggled to find natural pauses that didn't occur right at the chapter breaks.
'The Plot Against America' is an extremely slow-moving tale of what the world may have looked like if Charles A. Lindbergh defeated Franklin Roosevelt in the 1940. I do think Roth could have made their point, and their story, stronger with a bit of editing to remove a bit of the mundanity.
Overall, I would recommend 'The Plot Against America' but with a few caveats due to the pacing and content of the book.
<b> Reader's Note: </b> 'The Plot Against America' includes themes of antisemitism, war, and prejudice. There is also some language that is used in the book that definitely fits the time and theme of 1940s America but that may not be as common or accepted with today's general audience.
teokajlibroj's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, although there were one or two flaws that stopped it from being amazing. The author created a realistic setting and it really felt as if he was recounting his childhood. However, I think having such a young narrator was a mistake, kids at that age don't understand politics and are limited in their actions. In fact the narrator doesn't really do anything in the book, merely observe. What little he does do, doesn't really make sense (why did he follow people on a bus?) although that was probably deliberate (young children don't make much sense).
I really enjoyed the political aspect of the book and wished that more attention had been given to it. (For example, what policies did Lindbergh implement?). I felt the depiction of his rise was very well done and very realistic. It's an accurate depiction of the rise of authoritarian leaders and very relevant for today. Lindbergh is at first greeted with shock, then confident assurances that he will be defeated. When he wins, the divide in reaction is interesting, some are terrified while others think this is paranoia.
What prevented this book from getting 5/5 is the anti-climatic ending. There was a lot of buildup before an abrupt halt and almost an deus ex machina solution. Especially as we don't see the main characters or how they react to most of it. It's not so much an ending as a point where Roth stopped writing.
I really enjoyed the political aspect of the book and wished that more attention had been given to it. (For example, what policies did Lindbergh implement?). I felt the depiction of his rise was very well done and very realistic. It's an accurate depiction of the rise of authoritarian leaders and very relevant for today. Lindbergh is at first greeted with shock, then confident assurances that he will be defeated. When he wins, the divide in reaction is interesting, some are terrified while others think this is paranoia.
What prevented this book from getting 5/5 is the anti-climatic ending. There was a lot of buildup before an abrupt halt and almost an deus ex machina solution. Especially as we don't see the main characters or how they react to most of it. It's not so much an ending as a point where Roth stopped writing.