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A review by amyb24
The Feral Detective by Jonathan Lethem
2.0
Ugh.
First, I agree with other reviewers that Phoebe was obviously, distractingly the creation of a man. Whether it was referring to her toiletries as her Dopp kit or her reflections on sex, it was hard to ever get really into the character. Lethem should have written the protagonist as a man.
Second, loved the snarky throwaway line about millenials . . . from a character who is a millenial! If Phoebe was 33 in 2016, she's a millenial. Probably not prone to judging that generation for their grooming habits, ya know?
(Edited to add: If Arabella was 18 in 2016, she's NOT a millenial. So way to go Lethem. You got everyone's generations wrong in your haste to make a cheap millenial joke. Such fact check. So wow.)
Third, the plot was absurd. With a compelling protagonist I could have done it, but with Phoebe as narrator it wasn't like I was going to get lost in her authentic self-reflection and distracted from the bizarre events unfolding.
I have to disagree with other reviewers about the commentary on the 2016 election being refreshing or honest or whatever. Sure, the sentiment was there, but anything driving it remained unexamined. Either unpack why this is so upsetting to Phoebe or stop bringing it up. There was nothing about her story that suggested why she would have an outsize reaction to the election. It was a missed opportunity to flesh out a character who really needed it.
Ugh.
First, I agree with other reviewers that Phoebe was obviously, distractingly the creation of a man. Whether it was referring to her toiletries as her Dopp kit or her reflections on sex, it was hard to ever get really into the character. Lethem should have written the protagonist as a man.
Second, loved the snarky throwaway line about millenials . . . from a character who is a millenial! If Phoebe was 33 in 2016, she's a millenial. Probably not prone to judging that generation for their grooming habits, ya know?
(Edited to add: If Arabella was 18 in 2016, she's NOT a millenial. So way to go Lethem. You got everyone's generations wrong in your haste to make a cheap millenial joke. Such fact check. So wow.)
Third, the plot was absurd. With a compelling protagonist I could have done it, but with Phoebe as narrator it wasn't like I was going to get lost in her authentic self-reflection and distracted from the bizarre events unfolding.
I have to disagree with other reviewers about the commentary on the 2016 election being refreshing or honest or whatever. Sure, the sentiment was there, but anything driving it remained unexamined. Either unpack why this is so upsetting to Phoebe or stop bringing it up. There was nothing about her story that suggested why she would have an outsize reaction to the election. It was a missed opportunity to flesh out a character who really needed it.
Ugh.