A review by jacob_longini
The Counterlife by Philip Roth

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Counterlife was the perfect culmination of my time with Roth's Nathan Zuckerman. As I've said before, Zuckerman's struggles are infinitely relatable while his decisions on how to face them are undoubtedly despicable. This installment, which traces his story much further on in life, focuses heavily on the Jewish American's experience learning how to relate to past generations of Jews, their history, and their future. As a young man trying to understand his own relationship to his Jewish forbearers, I found that engaging with Nathan Zuckerman's story was incredibly provocative. A twenty-first century, half-Jewish, young man has much to gain from meditating upon Roth's problematic depiction of second-generation diasporic Jewish masculinity. Wrestling with what it means to be oneself alongside Nathan Zuckerman is the power of Roth's work.