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A review by richardbakare
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
4.0
The allure of Jonathan Franzen’s novels for me rests wholly in the characters he creates that stick to you long after you’ve put down the book. People so real and familiar you forget that they exist only on the page. The scenes from their lives come back to you as if memories from your own. The dialogue blurs with conversations you’ve had in your own life.
In “Crossroads” we get more of the same in characters whose situations and interactions illuminate all the nuances of American culture and the human experience. They are gritty, unnerving, uplifting, and raw. I found myself desperately seeking out moments to open the pages and see more of their journeys play out. The setting, the time, and mood were distant and yet familiar all at once.
That familiarity owing to the drama fest that plays out. In it we learn a lot about a broken family and even more about religion, politics, society, and the taboos of 70’s America. In particular, I liked how Franzen’s characters highlight the stories we tell ourselves to fill in the blanks created by things going unsaid. Those stories creating rifts and divides that keep us from ever really getting to know each other.
Franzen’s plots feel like you are driving towards a storm. Navigating through the madness, hoping not to get hurt along the way. Ultimately, arriving at a semblance of calm again. A peace that comes at a cost. A price purchased in the ramble of the lives of his characters and your own self awareness in how you relate to them. The reward is a calming self reflection that is grounded in truth.
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that this book is the first part of trilogy. Spanning decades of American life; I cannot wait to see where this American Saga takes us. Though told from the perspective of only one of the country’s many racial groups, you can’t blame Franzen for writing about what he knows best. It’s authentic and therefore compelling.
In “Crossroads” we get more of the same in characters whose situations and interactions illuminate all the nuances of American culture and the human experience. They are gritty, unnerving, uplifting, and raw. I found myself desperately seeking out moments to open the pages and see more of their journeys play out. The setting, the time, and mood were distant and yet familiar all at once.
That familiarity owing to the drama fest that plays out. In it we learn a lot about a broken family and even more about religion, politics, society, and the taboos of 70’s America. In particular, I liked how Franzen’s characters highlight the stories we tell ourselves to fill in the blanks created by things going unsaid. Those stories creating rifts and divides that keep us from ever really getting to know each other.
Franzen’s plots feel like you are driving towards a storm. Navigating through the madness, hoping not to get hurt along the way. Ultimately, arriving at a semblance of calm again. A peace that comes at a cost. A price purchased in the ramble of the lives of his characters and your own self awareness in how you relate to them. The reward is a calming self reflection that is grounded in truth.
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that this book is the first part of trilogy. Spanning decades of American life; I cannot wait to see where this American Saga takes us. Though told from the perspective of only one of the country’s many racial groups, you can’t blame Franzen for writing about what he knows best. It’s authentic and therefore compelling.