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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
a dutchman in new york.
quiet meditative account of an alienated expat finance chap in NY during 9/11 and the aftermath. he finds companionship in an unlikely crew consisting of west and east indian cricket amateurs.
also interesting to read about the vibes of brooklyn in the 2000s.
quiet meditative account of an alienated expat finance chap in NY during 9/11 and the aftermath. he finds companionship in an unlikely crew consisting of west and east indian cricket amateurs.
also interesting to read about the vibes of brooklyn in the 2000s.
i broke up with this book a lot, but we had makeup sex in the end
The really interesting parts of this book - the narrator's observations of NY, his relationships with his estranged wife and the shady Chuck Ramkissoon - are obscured by random super-detailed accounts of cricket play and field maintainance.
Loved the writing, the NYC settings, and the characters... Beyond the narrator. Why does this European trader dude and his marital woes need to be the lens through which we experience the other characters in the book? (Sort of a rhetorical question, with the answer obvs being: because sexism, racism, classism) I found myself trying to see around the narrator. Super enjoyable nonetheless.
O'Neill writes in the way I wish my words came out. His descriptions of his surroundings leave you wondering why you never noticed such details in your own life. This book was timely for me and well enjoyed- I'm just left feeling that his writing was more about an opportunity for long sentences and philosophical ramblings than the story, which left something to be desired. It just never reached it's climax.
I enjoyed Joseph O'Neill's writing, but I didn't like his protagonist too much. I think I've read too many stories about passive people who sabotage everything they hold dear because they won't f--king open their mouths and speak! It is frustrating. The second half of the book picks up. The setting of post-9/11 and the protagonist's outsider status is the most compelling aspect of this book, as is O'Neill's writing.
Good, but I guess I was expecting better. I have to admit I'm a bit puzzled about how this book got a rep for being intimately linked with/part of the cultural moment that is/was the sept. 11 attacks. I guess I'm failing to see the deeper connection?
This book is packed with emotion. Right there with The Great Gatsby.
Completely my own fault; I brought this upon myself. I read more than one review that compared this dude to Ian McEwan quite favourably. Thing is, I really loathe McEwan's work. I realize this says more about me than it does about the authors, but that's how it sometimes is. Sometimes you just don't gel with a writer's product and no amount of adulation shaming your horrible taste will fix that.
Also: Could the estranged wife be any more annoying? At first I hated her, and then I realized that someone had created her and hated the creation, the making of her existence.
Also: Could the estranged wife be any more annoying? At first I hated her, and then I realized that someone had created her and hated the creation, the making of her existence.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes