Take a photo of a barcode or cover
caitlingropp 's review for:
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
by Dave Eggers
[3.5 stars] I am conflicted! The following Times review is fitting: "Eggers has instead pitched his tone at an uncommon sort of irony, using it not as a device to keep us at arm's length but to involve us - to make the story of his life tellable, and thus, somehow, survivable" - but the man certainly skirts a fine line. While he's often dislikable and too clever by half, and the book could certainly use an edit, both his style and talent are undeniable. And you want to begrudge him that! The title is the perfect example. The self-consciousness, perceptiveness, and irony become too much. But is it reason enough to dislike the book? I'm not so sure. One thing I do know is that I'll certainly be taking a break from postmodern (or post-postmodern) lit for a while.