Scan barcode
kathycz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
First off, Michael Chabon is just a great storyteller. He knows how to put sentences together and shoot up little sparks of curiosity to keep you going. But more than that, this memoir/novel is a really interesting study in memoir and the novel. It took me awhile to settle in with this narrator who, apparently, both is and isn't Michael Chabon. Anyone who is thinking of writing a memoir ought to study how Chabon takes the pieces of his real experience, puts them together and fills in the gaps. And anyone who is thinking of writing a memoir also ought to take notice of the way in which, if you do such a thing, you must be willing to treat your characters. Chabon's love for all of them is palpable, yet he's willing to portray them honestly, warts and all (sometimes, honestly, beyond TMI). He had several choices about how to construct the arc for this story, and it's also really interesting to consider why he chose the one he did--an Ahab-like tale of his grandfather in pursuit of German rocket scientist and Nazi-turned-NASA hero Werner von Braun. He chooses to demote the truly shocking parts of his family story to subplot, though everything is masterfully interwoven. I love Chabon's prose, but I did notice that he sometimes overwrites, choosing three images when one would not only do, but do better with greater impact. Still, this novel was a reading pleasure from a writing master.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
More...