Reviews

The Counterlife by Philip Roth

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thbevilacqua's review

5.0

While I don't feel like this book is talked about as much, or held in as high regard, as Roth's other work (particularly among the other Zuckerman books), I thought The Counterlife was a very interesting and well-written piece of fiction. Much of the book is concerned with Jewish identity and identity in general, continuing in the same line as the preceding Zuckerman novels. However, this novel has a decidedly "meta" quality to it, as Roth is also examining the nature of writing and fiction and looking at the ways fiction is drawn from everyday life and how the two (life and fiction) are wrapped up together. Roth addresses these topics in a much more direct way in The Counterlife, but that does not mean in a heavy handed way. These concerns are given a greater prominence and engaged with in more interesting ways both from a formal perspective as well as thematically. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

jensa's review

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2.0

There was a time when I liked Philip Roth's books, but rereading this book made me realize once again that a writer who rambles on about writers and writing is not what I want to read. Also, I find his obsession with sex tiresome at times. However, there are parts of the book, especially those about Judaism and Jewish life, that I really enjoyed. But on the whole, the thinly disguised autobiographical passages come across as self-adulation and spoil the book for me.

davidgillette's review

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5.0

Honestly, the word “sublime” springs to mind, but then I’m a sucker for involute metafiction.

tudorcosma's review

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challenging inspiring reflective medium-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

4.25

jacob_longini's review

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dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

The Counterlife was the perfect culmination of my time with Roth's Nathan Zuckerman. As I've said before, Zuckerman's struggles are infinitely relatable while his decisions on how to face them are undoubtedly despicable. This installment, which traces his story much further on in life, focuses heavily on the Jewish American's experience learning how to relate to past generations of Jews, their history, and their future. As a young man trying to understand his own relationship to his Jewish forbearers, I found that engaging with Nathan Zuckerman's story was incredibly provocative. A twenty-first century, half-Jewish, young man has much to gain from meditating upon Roth's problematic depiction of second-generation diasporic Jewish masculinity. Wrestling with what it means to be oneself alongside Nathan Zuckerman is the power of Roth's work.

guyarchard's review

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5.0

A master writer… prob my favourite Roth novel. It asks if being a man means anything at all, and if so what the essential quality of being a man is. It likewise asks what the essential quality of being Jewish is, if anything. The characters are all acting out a performance of some sort, seen through the eyes of unreliable narrators. It’s very cleverly layered.