A review by gohawks
Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe

3.0

I think I enjoyed this book only because I didn't expect too much. I have previously read A Man In Full and I Am Charlotte Simmons and now this. Each one has been a little less exceptional and a little more hollow. The reason I got through this one so easily was because Wolfe is not a difficult read. He uses lots of slang and dialogue which makes it easy to speed read - something I am not usually very proficient at. I also find that the older he gets, the more he is impressed with how hip he is. He is always trying to show how much he has researched certain places, fads and people by overusing certain phrases or already outmoded dialogue. Obviously, this has the opposite effect. I enjoyed this book because the characters were entertaining and interesting even if not fully fleshed out. But Wolfe seems to lose the narrative through line multiple times in favor of creating a hip scene or a showcase for his readership. For instance, the book slows to a screeching halt in the middle for an art show. Granted, the art is a part of the plot, but it could have been edited down aggressively. Also I felt the book ended abruptly - which is a feat given it is 700 pages long. I wanted some closure for these characters. Don't get me wrong, I like somewhat ambiguous endings. But it wasn't appropriate in this case, and it leaves one wondering what the author is really trying to get across other than Miami is a really crazy place. Back to Blood is amusing at times and entertaining. It's actually comparable to Wolfe's jacket photo on the back of the book. Looking at Wolfe in his bowler and cane like a bygone dandy, I am greatly amused at how seriously he must take himself. I couldn't stop turning the book over and looking at it for minutes, thinking "Is he really serious?" That is essentially what kept me entertained and reading. It's not a great book, but it will tide you over till you find a great one.