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A review by richardwells
Zazen by Vanessa Veselka
3.0
We all know it's not easy to write a book, and with that in mind I tend to cheer a writer on as she gets closer to the finish line. It's a horrible thing when she's just about there and she stumbles, a worse thing when she falls.
This is a novel about the young, idealistic, and radical of, I suspect, the 1990's, but except for cultural references could be about any generation. It took me back to Santa Fe, NM in the 70's.
There is so much good about this book. The characters are recognizable and wittily etched, the story is at times a burlesque and at times a touching slice of life, and the author's insights are savory, but just when a terrific set piece is about to explode the author strays from the path of plot and gets lost in the woods of description. That had me skipping pages, and finally losing patience, and whatever impact the writer might have managed was lost.
That being said, and more's the pity, I thoroughly enjoyed the book until then - we're talking the last thirty pages here. Either the editor fell down on the job, or the author just couldn't let go - who knows.
At any rate, lots of people love this book, it's a lot of good writing, and I'm looking forward to whatever the author comes up with next.
PS: I was led to Zazen after reading an essay in The Best American Essays, 2013, ed. Cheryl Strayed.
This is a novel about the young, idealistic, and radical of, I suspect, the 1990's, but except for cultural references could be about any generation. It took me back to Santa Fe, NM in the 70's.
There is so much good about this book. The characters are recognizable and wittily etched, the story is at times a burlesque and at times a touching slice of life, and the author's insights are savory, but just when a terrific set piece is about to explode the author strays from the path of plot and gets lost in the woods of description. That had me skipping pages, and finally losing patience, and whatever impact the writer might have managed was lost.
That being said, and more's the pity, I thoroughly enjoyed the book until then - we're talking the last thirty pages here. Either the editor fell down on the job, or the author just couldn't let go - who knows.
At any rate, lots of people love this book, it's a lot of good writing, and I'm looking forward to whatever the author comes up with next.
PS: I was led to Zazen after reading an essay in The Best American Essays, 2013, ed. Cheryl Strayed.