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A review by olicooper
The Golden House by Salman Rushdie
2.0
You can’t rush Rushdie. If you do, you’re missing it. I didn’t rush reading through The Golden House, but I also didn’t feel the need to. There was not too much that was pulling me back in. There is much time spent on characters, without really developing the character. These parts were used more or less as a way of introducing Rushdie’s running commentary on current events (which I did enjoy! They just didn’t make much for character or plot development).
If you removed all references to Greek and Roman mythology, literature, film, you can probably cut out a third of the book. That isn’t to say I disliked them all, only to say I got tired of reading so many of them.
I thought the narration was interesting. Rene at first acts much like Nick does in the Great Gatsby, a participant, but a distant one. He watches the “Goldens” and is mesmerized by them, yearning to learn their story. He arguably gets a bit more involved than Nick ever was able in the Great Gatsby.
And as for the Trump in the room, he makes his appearance, if only as an excuse for Rushdie attack the “fictionalized” villain that terrorizes the city, readying to terrorize us all. The characters or Trump, Clinton, and other players in the 2016 election, don’t really add anything to the plot, but allow the narrator a little time to vent his frustrations at America willingly voting for a monster to be king.
Is this book going to stand the test of time, probably not. It is all very timely, but not timeless. Even though this may not be one of my favorites of his, I am always ready to read. The way he weaves various issues, themes, motifs, etc. into his stories. I’m sure Rushdie’s thoughts on identity politics, gender politics, political correctness, censorship, etc. won’t sit well with everyone, but they are great discussions to have.
If you removed all references to Greek and Roman mythology, literature, film, you can probably cut out a third of the book. That isn’t to say I disliked them all, only to say I got tired of reading so many of them.
I thought the narration was interesting. Rene at first acts much like Nick does in the Great Gatsby, a participant, but a distant one. He watches the “Goldens” and is mesmerized by them, yearning to learn their story. He arguably gets a bit more involved than Nick ever was able in the Great Gatsby.
And as for the Trump in the room, he makes his appearance, if only as an excuse for Rushdie attack the “fictionalized” villain that terrorizes the city, readying to terrorize us all. The characters or Trump, Clinton, and other players in the 2016 election, don’t really add anything to the plot, but allow the narrator a little time to vent his frustrations at America willingly voting for a monster to be king.
Is this book going to stand the test of time, probably not. It is all very timely, but not timeless. Even though this may not be one of my favorites of his, I am always ready to read. The way he weaves various issues, themes, motifs, etc. into his stories. I’m sure Rushdie’s thoughts on identity politics, gender politics, political correctness, censorship, etc. won’t sit well with everyone, but they are great discussions to have.