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mikekelly4815's review against another edition
reflective
fast-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
3.25
It is Colson Whitehead so you know the writing is going to be good. The fun asides do not disappoint, nor do Whitehead's descriptive passages that graft his heady ideas onto everyday objects. And the ideas themselves are really interesting. What other author sets out to write a novel about the power of names, and the ways that power struggles use them to deflect from the actual thing the name is supposed to designate. However, I think this book mostly did not connect with me due to the story and the characters. The characters felt one note (presumably intentionally) and the story itself was not as interesting as the ideas it was attempting to convey. Still a good book from a great author.
christiek's review against another edition
3.5
Filled with stellar word play and one line observational zingers. The tone is very similar to The Intuitionists and since it is so distinct, I wasn't really ready to do that again so soon.
pattricejones's review against another edition
5.0
The night after I finished this book, I dreamed: shuttlebus, shuttlebus, shuttlebus.
For those who haven't yet read it, and thus won't catch that reference, let me say:
Colson Whitehead has written a profound book about superficiality. It's at once about the modern problem of the branding of America and the abiding questions (with which philosophers have wrestled for centuries) about the relationship of language to reality. With regard to the latter, it probes the potentially corrosive effects of naming and (in my view, although even Whitehead might not have intended this bit) of our tendency to turn processes into things, perceiving people and places as nouns rather than verbs.
What's especially beautiful about the book is that all of this is done within an engaging and enjoyable narrative. I could easily imagine assigning it to college students, letting them have fun with the story, and then pressing them to discover how much deeper it goes.
For those who haven't yet read it, and thus won't catch that reference, let me say:
Colson Whitehead has written a profound book about superficiality. It's at once about the modern problem of the branding of America and the abiding questions (with which philosophers have wrestled for centuries) about the relationship of language to reality. With regard to the latter, it probes the potentially corrosive effects of naming and (in my view, although even Whitehead might not have intended this bit) of our tendency to turn processes into things, perceiving people and places as nouns rather than verbs.
What's especially beautiful about the book is that all of this is done within an engaging and enjoyable narrative. I could easily imagine assigning it to college students, letting them have fun with the story, and then pressing them to discover how much deeper it goes.
ari767's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
lisade's review against another edition
It felt like there was a deep metaphor I couldn’t quite grasp. Maybe the toe business icked me out too much.
ursineultra's review against another edition
2.0
Loses its way in the second half, and the first half isn't exactly thrilling. Truly terrible ending.
laila4343's review against another edition
3.0
Colson Whitehead is so damn smart. Maybe too smart for me sometimes. But I want to read everything he's written, because he challenges me. A nameless "nomenclature consultant" with a limp who's had a bit of a mental breakdown is hired to help rebrand the ton of Winthrop. He is wooed by the three city council members: a wacky descendant of the original Winthrop, a descendant of one of the original black settlers, and a wealthy businessman who wants to bring jobs and rename it New Prospera. Our nameless hero drinks and muses and also has a very funny duel of sorts with the hotel's cleaning woman over the state of his room. We learn about what lead to his breakdown and leaving his old job, where he was previously very successful. It's a very clever, cerebral novel. I didn't love it, but I appreciated it.
windywistera8's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
tjreadsalot's review
slow-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
3.5
apersons's review against another edition
2.0
had to read this book for school. will never pick it up again. although i could appreciate the literary significance of the book, i simply hated having to read it.