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nairijan's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Chabon’s alternate history novel was incredibly original but ultimately it still remains to be a detective story bolstering the idea of a good police officer against a corrupt system. While the dialogue is stunning and enjoyable throughout, Chabon’s worldbuilding left me wanting for more especially given the themes of a diasporan community moving onto an indigenous people’s land
izzylashley's review against another edition
4.0
This book was low key kind of crazy towards the end, took me a bit to actually get into it but damn
soben's review against another edition
3.0
Slow start, then got really captivating about 50% through. Wish the ending was a little more conclusive, but enjoyed the story overall.
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
2.0
Oy vey! Certainly not awful, but so far off from being amazing. I’m still left thinking I read his best book, Motherless Brooklyn, first. This novel is an alternate history set in a Jewish State within the defunct United States. A mystery and a murder, but ultimately kind of bland.
johndoe15's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
missyjohnson's review against another edition
3.0
i did like this book. I was about half way through it before I fell into a rhythm with the Yiddish words being used. I got to a point where I figured out some of them and the others I had to let go. Chabon has an unusual and beautiful way of descriptions. This caused me to want to continue reading as I wondered what terms he would use next. One of my favorite paragraphs spoke of a ganef wind that blew to plunder the Sitka treasure of fog and rain, leaving only cobwebs and one bright penny in a vault of polished blue. the paragraph continued with more vibrant descriptors. a description of a pilot was that he was both faithful and without a shred of faith. another favorite describes houses and boardwalk on an island - The houses huddle on their pilings like skinny-legged ladies. A mangy stretch of boardwalk noses among the houses before wandering over to the boat slips to lie down.- I am not sure that I would have ever used a mangy dog to describe a boardwalk . It works though.
there were so many pieces of this book that were so well done. Enjoyed it. not so satisfied with the ending though.
there were so many pieces of this book that were so well done. Enjoyed it. not so satisfied with the ending though.
smusie's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely Chabonabulous. I've loved everything I've read by him so far, and this one is a tour de force. It took me a while at the beginning to start to get it, but I ended up loving it and being sad when I finished it. His creativity is off the charts. Virtuosic. Little throwaway lines are funnier than the funniest things most other authors can come up with. "The Indian noz has a head like a redwood burl and the worst haircut Landsman has ever seen, some kind of ungodly hybrid of a high-and-tight and a pompadour." At the same time, he gets the pain of exile down, along with the tantalizing prospect of redemption. In the world created in this book, Orson Welles made a movie called "Heart of Darkness," and millions of Jews were saved from the Holocaust. Would that we could all live there; at least we can visit.
cander's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
nattybumpo's review against another edition
I couldn't connect to the characters and it was SO BORING.