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A review by carolynf
The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
2.0
The best part about this book was the early 1900s New York City color that was added in whole paragraphs, entirely separate from the plot. Little factoids about telephones and buildings and cars. The actual plot, not so much. Freud is visiting the US and is pretty unknown. Carl Jung is along for the ride, and is creepy and psycho as it is possible to be without being locked up. Just as Jung’s behavior starts making Freud look pretty good in comparison, Freud starts saying things like, “I’m sure the 14 year old girl was not actually repulsed by the gross old man sticking his tongue down her throat. Obviously she was extremely turned on by this, and was repulsed only by her recognition of her own desires.” I know a little about Freud’s ideas, not enough to evaluate whether this portrayal of him (or Jung) is accurate. But either way – ew.
While these two are hanging out in New York City, there are some Horrible Crimes involving local heiress nymphets. The central nymphet in the book is only seventeen, but speaks and acts like a grown woman. Another woman who is a key figure in the book is in her late 20s, but refers back to her being a just married 19 year old yet acting with total self-confidence as well as a very savvy knowledge of other people. 1909 NYC is apparently heavily populated with Old Soul debutantes and pervy old men.
The unraveling off the crimes is confusing. I’m not going to put in spoilers, but it seemed like there were conflicting versions of events, changing motives, and several plot holes. For example, there is one part were a guy is driving his own carriage, sees something, and freaks out. I don’t think we ever get a clear idea of why he gets so upset. But we DO get pages and pages of him reacting badly to whatever he saw, and taking it out on the carriage horse. The poor animal is hitched to a nearby construction crane, hoisted WAY up in the air, panicked and screaming. Eventually the crane pulls some iron girders into the partially constructed building, all the men fall off, some probably die, and then everyone goes home and has tea and forgets about it. The randomness of this scene is pretty typical of the whole book.
While these two are hanging out in New York City, there are some Horrible Crimes involving local heiress nymphets. The central nymphet in the book is only seventeen, but speaks and acts like a grown woman. Another woman who is a key figure in the book is in her late 20s, but refers back to her being a just married 19 year old yet acting with total self-confidence as well as a very savvy knowledge of other people. 1909 NYC is apparently heavily populated with Old Soul debutantes and pervy old men.
The unraveling off the crimes is confusing. I’m not going to put in spoilers, but it seemed like there were conflicting versions of events, changing motives, and several plot holes. For example, there is one part were a guy is driving his own carriage, sees something, and freaks out. I don’t think we ever get a clear idea of why he gets so upset. But we DO get pages and pages of him reacting badly to whatever he saw, and taking it out on the carriage horse. The poor animal is hitched to a nearby construction crane, hoisted WAY up in the air, panicked and screaming. Eventually the crane pulls some iron girders into the partially constructed building, all the men fall off, some probably die, and then everyone goes home and has tea and forgets about it. The randomness of this scene is pretty typical of the whole book.