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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Towles’ story of a young 1950s ex-convict who goes on a unforgettable journey after refusing to go back to his already broken life is a great intersecting ride that can get overlong but never stops bringing many interesting stops and turns. A- (91%/Excellent)
Really enjoyable cast of characters. I loved the quest component and the exploration of heroes. The countdown structure of the novel was fascinating as well.
“Moments with one's self were more likely to circle inward toward some thought that one didn't want to be having in the first place.”—The Lincoln Highway, Amor Towles
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I breezed through a blurb & agreed to read it with a friend. FYI, the Lincoln Highway (US Route 30 & Interstate 80), runs coast to coast, from Times Square New York City, originally passing through 13 states, ending in Lincoln Park in San Francisco.
Emmett is just out of juvenile detention with plans to pick up his younger brother Billy, his car, and make a fresh start. Of course nothing goes as planned and I spent the "trip" on Lincoln Highway trying to figure out what was going to happen because there are many detours over the next several days.
During the detours, we get to know a little bit more about various characters and admittedly, I wanted to tell Emmett to have nothing to do with Duchess, to leave him, but I came to understand things about Duchess as the days went by.
This book, this journey on The Lincoln Highway, was full of unexpected people and places but in actuality, it reflects lessons in life. As Wolly's sister muses, some of us suppress certain virtues or qualities, having too much of one, sometimes to our own detriment. I suppose, in short, that is exactly the point. We are all flawed & hope, just like the people in this story remind us, we should not give up on each other, we should not lose hope.
The last few days of this trip were entertaining, but also sobering. Billy, Wolly and Uylsses were probably my favorite characters. I would not have minded more about Townhouse and Ulysses.
I didn't expect that ending but now that I'm done, perhaps I'll look up A Gentleman in Moscow and see if it's as engrossing. I read Rules of Civility, years ago. Clearly Towles can craft some beautiful sentences, but the overall story (Rules of Civility) was, meh, in my opinion. The Lincoln Highway was better but I'm waiting to be wowed with A Gentleman in Moscow. Everyone raves about it so I'll have to see for myself.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I breezed through a blurb & agreed to read it with a friend. FYI, the Lincoln Highway (US Route 30 & Interstate 80), runs coast to coast, from Times Square New York City, originally passing through 13 states, ending in Lincoln Park in San Francisco.
Emmett is just out of juvenile detention with plans to pick up his younger brother Billy, his car, and make a fresh start. Of course nothing goes as planned and I spent the "trip" on Lincoln Highway trying to figure out what was going to happen because there are many detours over the next several days.
During the detours, we get to know a little bit more about various characters and admittedly, I wanted to tell Emmett to have nothing to do with Duchess, to leave him, but I came to understand things about Duchess as the days went by.
This book, this journey on The Lincoln Highway, was full of unexpected people and places but in actuality, it reflects lessons in life. As Wolly's sister muses, some of us suppress certain virtues or qualities, having too much of one, sometimes to our own detriment. I suppose, in short, that is exactly the point. We are all flawed & hope, just like the people in this story remind us, we should not give up on each other, we should not lose hope.
The last few days of this trip were entertaining, but also sobering. Billy, Wolly and Uylsses were probably my favorite characters. I would not have minded more about Townhouse and Ulysses.
I didn't expect that ending but now that I'm done, perhaps I'll look up A Gentleman in Moscow and see if it's as engrossing. I read Rules of Civility, years ago. Clearly Towles can craft some beautiful sentences, but the overall story (Rules of Civility) was, meh, in my opinion. The Lincoln Highway was better but I'm waiting to be wowed with A Gentleman in Moscow. Everyone raves about it so I'll have to see for myself.
I've enjoyed all three of Towles' books, and this is my favorite so far. I loved his development of the three older boys (Emmett, Woolly, and Duchess) and his perceptiveness in showing how their lived experience culminated in the decisions they make during the 10-day narrative. Young Billy seems a little *too* precocious for his age, and I'm unclear whether we're supposed to read him as on the spectrum, but I loved his relationship with his brother. I was a little uncomfortable with Ulysses, whose character borders on the Magical Negro trope, and who has something of a throw-away ending, but I did enjoy the mythology-linked subplot. Sally irritated the heck out of me, but the audiobook actor may have been partly responsible- she just sounded too peevish to be liked. The settings were exquisitely described, the adventure was top-notch, and there were too many pearls of wisdom to count. Fabulous book.
And now, my one anachronistic peeve: Sally could not have handed Emmett a bag of frozen peas to ease swelling, because the technology needed to make bagged frozen peas didn't exist until the 1960s and wasn't used commonly until later than that. She might have handed him a block of frozen peas in a paperboard carton. /end food scientist rant
And now, my one anachronistic peeve: Sally could not have handed Emmett a bag of frozen peas to ease swelling, because the technology needed to make bagged frozen peas didn't exist until the 1960s and wasn't used commonly until later than that. She might have handed him a block of frozen peas in a paperboard carton. /end food scientist rant
I’m not at all surprised with how much I enjoyed this. Towles is a great storyteller and I particularly love the way he writes children and adult relationships with children. Billy’s interactions with each of the adults in the story brought me so much joy.
5 enthusiastic stars.
5 enthusiastic stars.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
Reminded me of the adventures of Tom Sawyer and huckleberry Finn. Not what I was expecting but it was an entertaining piece of historical fiction.
This is going to be super unpopular…..It took me a week to read less than 200 pages. I FINALLY had to accept that this book wasn’t even close to the hype. Super wordy, boring and I just kept reading the same page over and over and over…..bummer.
An absolutely delightful tale of sorrow, pain, trouble, and joy. A spectacular escapade!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence