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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
The first half of this book is terrific and I couldn't put it down. The ending sucked. It was so completely ridiculous, far-fetched, and political, I couldn't stand it. Chabon ruined what could have been a brilliant book by giving it a terrible ending.
Also, he could have done a lot more with the Alaska setting. Alaska is absolutely gorgeous, but Chabon made it sound dismal and gray. I think he visited Sitka before writing the book, but the Alaska of the book is not the real Alaska.
Also, he could have done a lot more with the Alaska setting. Alaska is absolutely gorgeous, but Chabon made it sound dismal and gray. I think he visited Sitka before writing the book, but the Alaska of the book is not the real Alaska.
Cool detective story set in an alternate Jewish enclave in Alaska. Lots of jewish culture, chess, and interesting diversions of history.
I wanted to like this more, I heard nothing but good things, and it was good, I could tell that much, but that didn't make me like it. Most aspects of it were interesting, but it just couldn't hold me in, sad.
I feel like I missed some things -- will have to read again when I'm not so distracted by life. Mr
Chabon certainly has a way with descriptions.
Chabon certainly has a way with descriptions.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
If I hadn’t been reading this book for a book club, I would have DNFed it long before the end. I wanted to like it. Truly, I did. The blurb seemed like exactly the sort of thing that would interest me: an alternate universe where Jews after the Holocaust have settled in Alaska instead of Israel, and there has been (dun-dun-DUN) a murder! I was expecting an action-comedy. Instead I got a plodding, overwritten, small-down detective story in which none of the characters are especially sympathetic. (Except maybe the protagonists ex-wife / new boss – I have a soft spot for her having to deal with all the shit the protagonist is stirring up.) Despite the stakes getting dramatically raised around the 75% mark, and an event that would have Michael Bay-esque action scenes in any other book, the entire way through I just kept wanting to shout, “would you get to the point already and stop with all the flowery metaphors?!” Clearly, I’m not the book’s intended audience, and just as clearly, I didn’t realize that before I started to read it.
Michael Chabon writes beautifully. Undeniably eloquent and evocative. Was left feeling like I didn't really get it.
I persevered with this...and I'm glad I did because I was interested in finding out whether they would solve the murder.
But I feel like Chabron's writing, although clever and witty at times, was just too much. I was so confused and lost at times. I feel like he could have done the same story in half the size of the novel.
Sadly, this novel wasn't a page-turner for me. Towards the end I found myself just skirting over his long paragraphs of descriptive narrative to get to the good bits.
But I feel like Chabron's writing, although clever and witty at times, was just too much. I was so confused and lost at times. I feel like he could have done the same story in half the size of the novel.
Sadly, this novel wasn't a page-turner for me. Towards the end I found myself just skirting over his long paragraphs of descriptive narrative to get to the good bits.
As always, exquisitely written and full of remarkable, realized characters. Though I took issue with some of the tangential elements toward the end of the second act, I was pleasantly satisfied with the ending. Not perfect by any means, but thoroughly, lovingly enjoyable... in my mind, more so than Kavalier and Clay.
Impressive world building and enjoyed the journey but the plot and writing overall was a little too flowery and all over the place.