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itsgg's review against another edition
2.0
The false and persistent myth that pervades much criticism of so-called "identity politics" is often that of Horatio Alger: Every individual succeeds on his or her own merit, and can solely be blamed for his or her own failure, and institutional racism (or gender bias, or socioeconomic bias) doesn't really exist and plays no role. "The Devil and Webster" presents this theory in the guise of a whodunnit. Of COURSE (and this is not a spoiler) the professor perceived to have been denied tenure because of racism was secretly a plagiarist. Of COURSE other characters similarly believed to have been victims of bias turn out to be liars and frauds. Of COURSE students protesting against perceived bias just don't know any better because they're too silly and naïve.
This thematic backdrop sufficiently irritated me that it prevented me from enjoying other aspects of the book. It didn't help -- and this is not the author's fault! -- that the reader of the audiobook also has an incredibly annoying voice. Finally, as a highly biased California native and holder of two separate degrees from UC Berkeley, romanticized descriptions of East Coasters at private colleges that let in rich kids who haven't earned their spots generally make me roll my eyes. Because of this, maybe others would like this more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.
This thematic backdrop sufficiently irritated me that it prevented me from enjoying other aspects of the book. It didn't help -- and this is not the author's fault! -- that the reader of the audiobook also has an incredibly annoying voice. Finally, as a highly biased California native and holder of two separate degrees from UC Berkeley, romanticized descriptions of East Coasters at private colleges that let in rich kids who haven't earned their spots generally make me roll my eyes. Because of this, maybe others would like this more than I did, but it just wasn't for me.
vickiweb's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes for this book, as I've liked other books by this author and usually love campus novels. I didn't mind that the plot was slow to unravel, and I actually found the descriptions of the college's history and the protagonist's life and friendships interesting. But about 3/4 of the way through the book, this plot began to strain credibility, and offered only the perspective of the flummoxed protagonist. I wish this book had offered a more nuanced and realistic portrayal of all involved.
klefever1022's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty writing as all Jean Hanff Korelitz is, but the plot of this seemed rather nonexistent for me. Most of the novel reads like exposition and faint rising action. It’s interesting enough by itself to not feel boring—there’s juuust enough going on to keep my attention, and I’m interested in the world painted, and I want to know about what the students are protesting. However the end felt like the *actual* start of the conflict for me. I don’t feel like this book is over? I loved the environment, and the characters are fascinating, but this was not the reading experience I expected, and to be honest I’m not sure what to take away.
cleocreads_'s review against another edition
4.0
College president meets a Johan Liebert kind of antagonist, excluding any extreme violence. The plot twists were interesting, and its satirical tone felt like a chick flick movie I happened to enjoy. Overall, a good read.
jessa_yes's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
kathydubs's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't quite sure what to think about this book initially. I really enjoyed reading from the perspective of the president of the university, as I don't get much information about this perspective in other ways. I thought the content of the story was engaging and a bit of a mystery. I will say though, that a lot of the time I was frustrated with the characters in the book. Not so much with Naomi, but a lot with students and staff as they dealt with privacy and honesty, two difficult principles to stay true to. I stayed frustrated through the end of the novel, honestly. I felt that the conflict dissipated rather quickly as well, which was unexpected for me. I thought the climax would perhaps be a bit more dramatic, although I do realize maybe that isn't a reasonable expectation and this was more realistic. Overall, a solid read.
fiendfull's review against another edition
3.0
The Devil and Webster is a slow burn campus novel from the perspective of a feminist scholar college president who discovers that ideals and protest are not as clear cut as she once thought. Webster College is an elite liberal arts college in New England and from its less inclusive past has transformed into a centre of free thought, inclusiveness, and protest. Its president Naomi Roth has a protesting past and when another protest sparks up on campus, she sees no reason to discourage it. However, the events that unfold question her beliefs and show that corruption can spring up anywhere and protest can be a grey area.
The novel is full of detail and is quite slow paced, but this culminates in a twist that shows how one situation can very suddenly turn into another one. Naomi’s current life is vividly painted, from her troubled relationship with her daughter Hannah - a student at Webster - to her worries about her closest friend Francine, Webster’s dean of admissions. Combined with this is an image of protest in the modern day, with social media able to spread information and misinformation in the blink of an eye. The conflict in the novel unfolds gradually and though it took a while to be sure that it was going somewhere, the ending and the way in which Naomi is caught in a seemingly futile position despite her best intentions do make it worthwhile.
From reading the acknowledgements at the end, I found out that Naomi Roth had featured in an early novel by Korelitz, but The Devil and Webster worked well as a standalone book and any mystery about Naomi’s past felt like part of the narrative. Though its pace may not appeal to everybody, it is an incisive and sometimes satirical novel about intentions, corruption, and higher education.
The novel is full of detail and is quite slow paced, but this culminates in a twist that shows how one situation can very suddenly turn into another one. Naomi’s current life is vividly painted, from her troubled relationship with her daughter Hannah - a student at Webster - to her worries about her closest friend Francine, Webster’s dean of admissions. Combined with this is an image of protest in the modern day, with social media able to spread information and misinformation in the blink of an eye. The conflict in the novel unfolds gradually and though it took a while to be sure that it was going somewhere, the ending and the way in which Naomi is caught in a seemingly futile position despite her best intentions do make it worthwhile.
From reading the acknowledgements at the end, I found out that Naomi Roth had featured in an early novel by Korelitz, but The Devil and Webster worked well as a standalone book and any mystery about Naomi’s past felt like part of the narrative. Though its pace may not appeal to everybody, it is an incisive and sometimes satirical novel about intentions, corruption, and higher education.