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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
My favorite Auster-novel. Maybe because it is the easiest one to read, with chapters, without too many intertextualities (which I curiously tend to adore), with happy endings and tragedies that negate the unevitable demise of content. Nathan Glass is the calmest protagonist with a lot of that kind of wisdom that comes to people merely by aging. He tells the story about his days in Brooklyn with his nephew Tom, the book store owner Harry and the characters that appear later with a reminiscence that is filled with love and hope and still only a little touch of naive romance.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first Paul Auster novel and I will happily read him again. Light, casual reading with a cast of interesting characters.
libro carino che finisce bene, pieno di un'ironia sottile che atteggia il volto ad un costante sorriso anche se quasi mai ad una risata piena; pecca è vero in alcuni casi di un certo buonismo, ma per me potrebbe essere considerato un pregio il fatto che, per una volta, le cose vadano a finire bene ;)
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Master of his craft. Nice middle ground between the more meta and his grounded books. Conceptually brilliant and a more diverse cast than usual.
Bit of a sentimental, Updike-lite sorta book. Auster can write, and the first half of the book gripped me, but that’s when it felt more mysterious, with me thinking Auster would weave one of his bizarre worlds. Instead things find a degree of normalcy, and that just leaves me thinking Lucy an unrealistic character- in reality I think Honey would have called CPS, and Lucy’s logic and resolve are just unrealistic for a 9 year old. Honey as well- I liked the middle of the book where the serendipity of it all could resolve itself in “unseen forces” or something, but that’s not how it plays out, and then Honey showing that boldness with middling Tom is just silly. No one does that, and nothing Tom did seemed to deserve it.
I don’t have the same “white male savior” complaints some other reviewers seem to have, but I definitely see their point. The women in the book are almost all victims of some sort, and world-weary and world-wise Nathan Glass needs to explain things to them, learn from his past ways and make good. I mean- no, sometimes assholes stay assholes, and cheating isn’t some minor character flaw people are expected to just get over.
The end of the book feels rushed and explained rather than shown. I appreciate the tone of the book, the “this world ain’t so bad” message, but there’s problems in the telling of the tale. 3 stars because I love how Auster writes and the first half is wonderful, Harry is a great character, but it doesn’t do what I’d hoped, plot-wise, and the characters are a bit half-baked outside of Nathan, who of course really admits no faults and shows no growth from the character who could have died alone, were it not for random fortune.
I don’t have the same “white male savior” complaints some other reviewers seem to have, but I definitely see their point. The women in the book are almost all victims of some sort, and world-weary and world-wise Nathan Glass needs to explain things to them, learn from his past ways and make good. I mean- no, sometimes assholes stay assholes, and cheating isn’t some minor character flaw people are expected to just get over.
The end of the book feels rushed and explained rather than shown. I appreciate the tone of the book, the “this world ain’t so bad” message, but there’s problems in the telling of the tale. 3 stars because I love how Auster writes and the first half is wonderful, Harry is a great character, but it doesn’t do what I’d hoped, plot-wise, and the characters are a bit half-baked outside of Nathan, who of course really admits no faults and shows no growth from the character who could have died alone, were it not for random fortune.
paul auster is a writer's writer and this book is an absolute pleasure. it is touching without ever being saccharine. it's full of fascinating characters and emotion that rings true. even though this is a well-written, literary writer, this novel is wonderfully paced and fun to read.
I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. It was a little odd, but the characters were well formed and likable despite their quirkinesses. And just when I was getting a little bored, some interesting twists came about.
The ending was the best part. Otherwise, the book was good, but not wonderful. I do like the characters in the novel and I feel the author really captured Brooklyn.