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A review by thebeardedpoet
Changó's Beads and Two-Tone Shoes by William Kennedy
2.0
The first third of this book is a delightful tribute to Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway appears several times as a supporting character, and these scenes are funny and true to Hemingway's personality. The narrative of a journalist from Albany NY in Cuba during the revolution fits well with Hemingway's literary terrain. I enjoyed the dramatic love story as well.
The middle third of the book is a hodgepodge of scenes back in Albany NY. A variety of characters are depicted and the only unifying element is either family connections or longstanding associations and friendships. While some of the scenes are engaging, I was not prepared for all this jumping around.
Clearly Kennedy had a batch of short stories but his publisher wouldn't let him put it out as a story collection. It's called a novel, but does not hold together the way a novel ought to. Feeling adrift in a random series of events, I gave up on this book before finishing it.
The middle third of the book is a hodgepodge of scenes back in Albany NY. A variety of characters are depicted and the only unifying element is either family connections or longstanding associations and friendships. While some of the scenes are engaging, I was not prepared for all this jumping around.
Clearly Kennedy had a batch of short stories but his publisher wouldn't let him put it out as a story collection. It's called a novel, but does not hold together the way a novel ought to. Feeling adrift in a random series of events, I gave up on this book before finishing it.