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klapaucius 's review for:
The MANIAC
by Benjamín Labatut
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book is impressively written, with the distinct voices for each of the characters coming through. Together, the various perspectives of those around von Neumann paint a fascinating picture of a brilliant and deeply flawed man driven by ideas above all else. If I had to offer a criticism, I wished the author engaged one level deeper with those ideas during the description of von Neumann’s life. I found the descriptions too superficial, a choice that was likely intentional to keep the focus on the characters and the sense of narrative but that made me feel like there was a barrier between the way the ideas were presented and understanding how they inspired the passion that drove von Neumann's life and work. I found the description of the development of AlphaGo in the final portion of the book to strike a better balance in this regard.
I also think it is worth remarking on the author's decision to treat the subject through a fictionalized account rooted in true events and research. The novel feels as though I just read a biography, albeit one told through first hand accounts of those around the subject. At the same time, I know that this is a fictionalized account with no clear indication of where the truth ends and the author’s imagination begins. I was entertained, but the caveat sits underneath everything I learned and makes me wish I had read an actual biography of the man instead, even at the risk of being less compelling as a literary exercise.
I also think it is worth remarking on the author's decision to treat the subject through a fictionalized account rooted in true events and research. The novel feels as though I just read a biography, albeit one told through first hand accounts of those around the subject. At the same time, I know that this is a fictionalized account with no clear indication of where the truth ends and the author’s imagination begins. I was entertained, but the caveat sits underneath everything I learned and makes me wish I had read an actual biography of the man instead, even at the risk of being less compelling as a literary exercise.