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A review by thelizabeth
The Final Solution: A Story of Detection by Michael Chabon
3.0
I bought this book when it was new in 2004 and I'd just read Kavalier & Clay, but I didn't read it til two days ago. Funny how it goes.
It was a satisfactory little story, but not a lot of bang. The mystery didn't amount to much, and that would've been nice. The best part is the chapter where the two men go to London and react to the effects of the Blitz. It's great. I'd have squeezed every drop of the story into that setting if it were up to me.
The characters were all right, but have the problem that bugs me in a lot of contemporary fiction. What interesting and quirky and touching attributes can I put into this person? And how many can I fit into one place? A mute orphan boy with a talking parrot! A senile sleuth with a smelly house and incredible powers! And oh look, a chapter from the perspective of the bird. Is this a talented man or what.
Can't seem to manage to put a woman in his book though. Parrots, no problem!
Perhaps that's what they call being overwritten. But I find it grating when there's more traits than character.
Something about the zesty little title kind of bugs me too. Cut your darlings, Chabon.
But that's just my cranky.
It was a satisfactory little story, but not a lot of bang. The mystery didn't amount to much, and that would've been nice. The best part is the chapter where the two men go to London and react to the effects of the Blitz. It's great. I'd have squeezed every drop of the story into that setting if it were up to me.
The characters were all right, but have the problem that bugs me in a lot of contemporary fiction. What interesting and quirky and touching attributes can I put into this person? And how many can I fit into one place? A mute orphan boy with a talking parrot! A senile sleuth with a smelly house and incredible powers! And oh look, a chapter from the perspective of the bird. Is this a talented man or what.
Can't seem to manage to put a woman in his book though. Parrots, no problem!
Perhaps that's what they call being overwritten. But I find it grating when there's more traits than character.
Something about the zesty little title kind of bugs me too. Cut your darlings, Chabon.
But that's just my cranky.