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A review by kerrymc
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
3.0
Totally exasperating! I actually found myself getting angry reading this book because it was as if the author just couldn't help herself from being the very smartest person (writer) possible, and then doing it at the expense of the actual story. On the other hand, that a book could get me so worked up means that there must be something there as well... The word play, the rhyming, the tangents, the characters in their smart-ness and smugness were totally maddening. But there were hysterical bits in there, as well. I "think" she was meaning to be funny with the Wednesday night party scenes. The dialogue seemed very close to what my college professor friend and his wife have described to me. I wanted to slap all of them except perhaps Emmie and Noel(le). The quote below summed up to me what seemed to be the author's style and intent. I think she achieved her idea of a great book, but not mine.
"I had also learned in literature - perhaps as in life - one had to speak not of what the author intended but of what a story intended for itself....But the creation itself had a personality and hopes and its own desires and plans and little winks and dance steps and collaged intent"
I give it a 5 for creative writing and a 1 for a totally meaningless story and characters I cared nothing about at best and found totally annoying at worst. A 3 seems like it is neutral when in fact I hated and loved it at the same time.
"I had also learned in literature - perhaps as in life - one had to speak not of what the author intended but of what a story intended for itself....But the creation itself had a personality and hopes and its own desires and plans and little winks and dance steps and collaged intent"
I give it a 5 for creative writing and a 1 for a totally meaningless story and characters I cared nothing about at best and found totally annoying at worst. A 3 seems like it is neutral when in fact I hated and loved it at the same time.