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A review by bookishblond
Man Walks Into a Room by Nicole Krauss
2.0
Reading the back of this book led me to believe that I had picked up an edgy and philosophical novel. The two pages of positive critical reviews encouraged the belief that I'd found a literary gem. Man Walks into a Room is nothing like that. Krauss tried so hard (or maybe she didn't try - maybe that's it) to write a novel that questions what it means to be human (an overrated and cliched goal) but she just can't deliver.
The premise is fairly interesting - a college literature professor is found wandering in the desert. After a tumor is removed from his brain, he is left with no memories past the age of 12. Samson Greene, however, has the mind of a mature adult (just no memories). Strangely, he doesn't have much desire to regain those memories. He passively lets his life go by. He isn't very concerned about his marriage. He ends up participating in an experiment (described on the back of the book as a "bold" experiment). Nothing really happens. Samson then wanders around for a bit, but I'm not convinced that he experienced a "beautifully painful revelation of what it is to be a human being" (I'm quoting the back of the book again).
None of the characters (there aren't that many) are interesting. It's even hard to sympathize with Samson himself, despite the fact that he lost his memory.
This is a very boring, very disappointing, little story. There is nothing "deep" about it. Would not recommend.
The premise is fairly interesting - a college literature professor is found wandering in the desert. After a tumor is removed from his brain, he is left with no memories past the age of 12. Samson Greene, however, has the mind of a mature adult (just no memories). Strangely, he doesn't have much desire to regain those memories. He passively lets his life go by. He isn't very concerned about his marriage. He ends up participating in an experiment (described on the back of the book as a "bold" experiment). Nothing really happens. Samson then wanders around for a bit, but I'm not convinced that he experienced a "beautifully painful revelation of what it is to be a human being" (I'm quoting the back of the book again).
None of the characters (there aren't that many) are interesting. It's even hard to sympathize with Samson himself, despite the fact that he lost his memory.
This is a very boring, very disappointing, little story. There is nothing "deep" about it. Would not recommend.