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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nothing by Chabon since The Mysteries of Pittsburgh has been able to coax unconditonal admiration from me. All the same, this is a wonderful novel, characteristic of Chabon's uncanny tendency to make you care about his characters, to make your heart pang at their tragedies and leap at their fortunes.
Much as I love Chabon, I liked this story, but didn't think it was up to his other books. Of course his writing is always terrific, but this book just wandered around too much, and I thought it dragged in places. Some laugh out loud funny moments, and character development and personal discovery, but overall not exciting. Good, but not great.
The movie is one of my favorite movies. The book not so much, kinda hated this book.
A writer/professor, Grady Tripp, has been in the process of writing his fourth novel for seven years, with no end in sight, though he tells anyone that asks he is “almost finished.” At Tripp’s invitation, his friend and editor, Terry Crabtree, shows up to attend the college’s annual writer’s conference. Crabtree hopes to obtain the long-awaited novel from Tripp, as he needs it to save his job. Tripp’s personal life is in turmoil due to his adultery. He is using so much marijuana that it is affecting his judgment and is not helping him finish his 2600-page (and counting) tome. Tripp is conflict-avoidant and has trouble making choices, but people are drawn to his congenial nature. He keeps procrastinating until decisions are made for him by default. Before the weekend is over, he will lose and gain relationships, influences impressionable students (not always in a good way), experience close encounters with an unruly dog and a boa constrictor, search for an expensive piece of a memorabilia collection, attend a Passover Seder with a Jewish family, several native Koreans, and a few lapsed Christians, and store a tuba and an assortment of unlikely items in the trunk of his car.
This book is a wild ride. The writing is outstanding. Chabon employs vivid and detailed imagery and his prose is imbued with a sense of energy. Although the story goes a bit over-the-top, it is filled with sardonic humor and tidbits that keep the reader engaged in trying to figure out what else could happen, and how it will end. I felt immersed in the story. The themes include identity, creativity, sexuality, substance abuse, storytelling, and aging. I had previously read two of the author’s works, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (which I loved) and Moonglow (which I didn’t), so I was interested to see how this book stacked up. It is more similar to the former than the latter but not as far-reaching in scope. Chabon walks the fine line between entertainment and message, absurdity and philosophy, and pulls it off quite impressively.
This book is a wild ride. The writing is outstanding. Chabon employs vivid and detailed imagery and his prose is imbued with a sense of energy. Although the story goes a bit over-the-top, it is filled with sardonic humor and tidbits that keep the reader engaged in trying to figure out what else could happen, and how it will end. I felt immersed in the story. The themes include identity, creativity, sexuality, substance abuse, storytelling, and aging. I had previously read two of the author’s works, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (which I loved) and Moonglow (which I didn’t), so I was interested to see how this book stacked up. It is more similar to the former than the latter but not as far-reaching in scope. Chabon walks the fine line between entertainment and message, absurdity and philosophy, and pulls it off quite impressively.
Still a pretty amazing book, I think I am only giving this a low rating when compared to Chabon's other books, for it is one of my least favorites.
I'm a big fan of the movie with Michael Douglas/Robert Downey Jr. so I've always wanted to read this book to find out more about the characters. It didn't disappoint, as it was very enjoyable even if you know the story. Some things are a bit different (Grady's break-up with his wife), some things are written about in much more detail. Gives you a great insight into how messed-up pot-smoking writers' life can be.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Chabon explores all the cliches of a university writing professor but never comes across as cliche. A very fun novel with great characters. Makes you want to grab a beer at the campus pub and talk about art all night.
This was a fun read, but since I saw the movie first years ago, it wasn't all that exciting. The movie sticks pretty close to the book's characters and plot, so I knew where it was going.