Reviews

I read this book for the annual JCC book festival. The review that follows is the review I submitted to the festival organizers.

There are two reasons our festival should skip this book. First the Jewish content is almost nonexistent. The protagonist is said to be Jewish, but that bare statement, early on, is the full extent of it.

Second, it's just not a very good book. There's lots of plot, but events just happen. They don't develop organically from earlier events or from the characters' personalities. The resolution of the major conflict had me slapping my forehead and saying "that makes no sense at all."

lindseysparks's review against another edition

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4.0

A former activist and women's studies Dean at a liberal college is now the college president and had to deal with student protesters who won't say what they're protesting or what they want to accomplish until the media takes notice. It's quite funny watching the absurdity of it all, these poor snow flakes who have to make something up to protest to feel important. The writing was beautiful and I really liked Naomi and felt terribly sorry for her. The novel also made me oddly nostalgic for college even going it focused on some really awful students. The descriptions of the campus were lovely.

library book

kategci's review against another edition

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4.0

I have been lucky enough to meet Jean Hanff Korelitz and attend her wonderful pop up book groups for other authors. Tomorrow, I will get to sit with her to discuss her newest novel which was thoroughly engrossing and very thought provoking. This novel about a campus under siege from student activists who are protesting a situation they do not know the facts of kept me reading over the holiday weekend and made work more tolerable. It is very much a New England novel: liberal, understanding and so very complicated. Well written, The Devil and Webster is a great read for those who love academic novels as well as those who love a good beach read. I can't wait to discuss it with the author!!

kateyt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

mayestang's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

graggirl's review against another edition

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4.0

I don't want to give away too much of this story. The themes I found fascinating were about our notion of privacy in a world that is becoming increasingly public, the peak into academia, and the generational differences that are emerging today. This is a pretty compelling story of a small liberal arts college president who is so idealistic that she is ignorant in her actions and plays out as naive. I didn't care for how she was written as an isolated feminist so removed in her ivory tower that she doesn't understand the basic tenets of life and humanity. But I did enjoy the unfurling of the obvious plot arc.

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