Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hmmmm....while his sense of humor and amazing writing talent are present in this book, it doesn't click nearly as well as it did in The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. That book I couldn't put down...but this one I find myself forcing to finish. Its too easy to get tripped over the actual Yiddish used in the book...I can't tell if the words are made up or real Yiddish words. It's just too crazy, and not in a weird, funny way...but in kind of a sick way. The premise is that Israel was a failed state after WWII and all the Jews moved to Sitka, Alaska where a small group plans a return to the Holy Land that threatens to disrupt world peace. There's a bit of the supernatural in it, but no characters that a reader would really like. Chabon's writing, as usual, is quite complex and interesting, but just does not grab the reader this time.
I felt Michael Chabon smirking at me the entire time I read this. The author has created a reality in which millions of Jewish people sought refuge in Sitka, Alaska following WWII. The text is almost all exposition, and very little plot. Chabon seems quite impressed with his own cleverness as he reimagines a city-state operated for and by Jews, as well as hundreds of non-sequiturs that go nowhere, such as mentions of cities that got the A-bomb and improbable first ladies.
It's not wrong, but once you understand the gimmick, it gets kind of tired over 400-plus pages.
If they make this into a movie, they have to cast Natasha Lyonne as Bina, Seth Rogen or Jack Black as Landsman and Dallas Goldtooth from Reservation Dogs as Berko.
I'm not certain there's a purpose to reviewing a 15 year old Michael Chabon novel, but here it is for posterity.
It's not wrong, but once you understand the gimmick, it gets kind of tired over 400-plus pages.
If they make this into a movie, they have to cast Natasha Lyonne as Bina, Seth Rogen or Jack Black as Landsman and Dallas Goldtooth from Reservation Dogs as Berko.
I'm not certain there's a purpose to reviewing a 15 year old Michael Chabon novel, but here it is for posterity.
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon offers an intriguing alternate history premise—a world where Jewish refugees settle in Alaska instead of Israel. While this setup initially piqued my interest, it ultimately didn’t serve much purpose beyond a few subplots, leaving the novel to unfold as a fairly typical detective noir. The protagonist, Meyer Landsman, while flawed and potentially relatable, fell into detective clichés and wasn’t particularly engaging.
Chabon’s writing oscillated between moments of brilliance, particularly in his reflections on Jewish identity, and stretches of overly flowery prose that made the book difficult to connect with. The mystery started off slow, briefly gained momentum, but then seemed to get lost in side plots, leading to a rushed and somewhat unfulfilling conclusion.
Overall, I found it hard to stay invested in the story, and while fans of murder mysteries might find something to enjoy here, those intrigued by the alternate history element may feel let down by how little it’s explored.
Chabon’s writing oscillated between moments of brilliance, particularly in his reflections on Jewish identity, and stretches of overly flowery prose that made the book difficult to connect with. The mystery started off slow, briefly gained momentum, but then seemed to get lost in side plots, leading to a rushed and somewhat unfulfilling conclusion.
Overall, I found it hard to stay invested in the story, and while fans of murder mysteries might find something to enjoy here, those intrigued by the alternate history element may feel let down by how little it’s explored.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I made it to the end. Barely. Some great writing but the plot really petered out. Then I noticed all the praise on the book jacket was for Kavalier & Clay.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I appreciated the alternate history and world building, however, the pacing was uneven and it took me a while to get into the story. Part way through I started losing interest in the mystery and I found myself just reading words on a page without really engaging with what was happening.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Why would anyone want to spend a few days of their life reading about a main character who is apathetic, depressed, and surrounded by things like sagging sofas and cigarette butts?