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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After a slow start (like, real slow, I started this in 2010) I got into this book at about the 25% mark and it didn't let me down thereafter.
Meyer Landsman is a classic hardboiled type, alcoholic, divorced, investigating the murder of an junkie in the filthy hotel he calls home. His ex-wife's back in town with a promotion, she's now his boss. This is all happening in the Jewish homeland, Sitka, Alaska, which was leased from America in 1948 after Israel lost the war against Palestine, and the lease is set to expire in 2 months, leaving the Jews with a future that is uncertain at best.
All these things, predictably, tie in together. Once the story gets going it's absolutely gripping and the alternative history that Chabon has spun for the Jewish people is utterly believable despite the departure point being slightly insane (history is stranger than fiction here, FDR's administration really did suggest Sitka, Alaska as a site for the Jewish state in '38).
Meyer Landsman is a classic hardboiled type, alcoholic, divorced, investigating the murder of an junkie in the filthy hotel he calls home. His ex-wife's back in town with a promotion, she's now his boss. This is all happening in the Jewish homeland, Sitka, Alaska, which was leased from America in 1948 after Israel lost the war against Palestine, and the lease is set to expire in 2 months, leaving the Jews with a future that is uncertain at best.
All these things, predictably, tie in together. Once the story gets going it's absolutely gripping and the alternative history that Chabon has spun for the Jewish people is utterly believable despite the departure point being slightly insane (history is stranger than fiction here, FDR's administration really did suggest Sitka, Alaska as a site for the Jewish state in '38).
My least favorite of Michael Chabon's books so far.
Very slow start but it was ultimately worth it after around 150 pages - from there, I was chugging along and mostly enjoying the plot. This makes me interested in reading more of the author’s work.
A pretty good read, but not at all what I expected.
It also took a little while for me to get grounded in the world of the story due to the fact that it’s set in a (description used by the author) “Counter factual alternate reality.”
You’ll have to read the book to figure out what that mean.
A good read, none-the-less.
It also took a little while for me to get grounded in the world of the story due to the fact that it’s set in a (description used by the author) “Counter factual alternate reality.”
You’ll have to read the book to figure out what that mean.
A good read, none-the-less.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a little more difficult to read than I expected, and I am pretty familiar with Jewish culture. Once I got into it, though, I really enjoyed it. I am not sure it was a good choice as my first Chabon. I will have to read a few more to confirm that, though!
I hate to give this a 3 because I can acknowledge how good it is. Chabon's books are always a pleasure to read, but for some reason this story never pulled me all the way in. I stayed right on the edge, and I can't put my finger on the reason. The Yiddish culture and terms held me back for a while, but I found the glossary in the back, which was helpful.
Despite never falling completely into this story, Chabon's writing impressed me throughout the book. I don't know how he does it.
Despite never falling completely into this story, Chabon's writing impressed me throughout the book. I don't know how he does it.