Reviews

Exit Ghost by Philip Roth

neodem's review against another edition

2.0

ugh.. booooring

colleen_mc's review against another edition

4.0

This is my second Philip Roth book. The first - A Plot Against America -- I wasn't crazy about it. This one I picked up without looking at the author and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!

ongeridee's review

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ericfheiman's review against another edition

3.0

Not Roth's best, but required reading for Zuckerman fans and still better than most of the contemporary novels out there.

nikkdel's review against another edition

3.0

In love with Roth's writing. In. Love.

harryhas29's review against another edition

I'm learning at age 26 what it is to be unhinged

carrieliza's review against another edition

4.0

I am going about Philip Roth all wrong. I've read 3 of his books now, but not in any kind of order. So Nathan Zuckerman is featured in earlier novels? I don't know. I picked this up at a library book sale a while ago and just now got around to it.

I enjoyed this sort of fish out of water/memory lane strolling novel. Though I think it made me hate the young (like Jamie, ugh), and want to run off to a secluded cabin in the Berkshires like Nathan.

keebleman's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Of Roth's late books I've read Nemesis and Everyman, and neither made much of an impression on me, but this is one I'll remember and return to.  It is brilliant on aging and decline and how we come to feel alienated from our bodies and from society.  So it's bleak, inevitably, but it isn't depressing because Roth shows that even in one's decline there is still the capacity for surprise, excitement and infatuation. 

mcintoshheidi's review against another edition

4.0

Very clever, slightly weird, funny and satirical, a bit intellectual, obsessive reading...i'm not entirely sure what i thought of this book, to be honest. Did i enjoy it? I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word. It was a good read, although slow to start with it soon picked up, but i'm left feeling slightly frustrated as i don't think the story has been resolved...at least not to my satisfaction. But what do i know? This is my first Philip Roth book, so maybe thats typical.

gillesdelatoet's review

adventurous funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25