2 out of 5: I generally love books by Michael Chabon, so I was very disappointed when I didn't like this one. It's an old-fashioned adventure story about two traveling Jews (one thin and fair, the other thick and dark) who are quick to join any fight they encounter on the road. The story is intricate, and the prose is even more intricate. Chabon's linguistic gymnastics didn't make up for the lack of character development and the formulaic plot. I get the sense this was a quickly-written experiment published between major works. Had Chabon not been the author, I don't think this would've been publised at all.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon (a review)
2 out of 5: I generally love books by Michael Chabon, so I was very disappointed when I didn't like this one. It's an old-fashioned adventure story about two traveling Jews (one thin and fair, the other thick and dark) who are quick to join any fight they encounter on the road. The story is intricate, and the prose is even more intricate. Chabon's linguistic gymnastics didn't make up for the lack of character development and the formulaic plot. I get the sense this was a quickly-written experiment published between major works. Had Chabon not been the author, I don't think this would've been publised at all.
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2 comments:
Hey, Gwen. Looks like Michael Chabon will be in Austin promoting The Yiddish Policemen's Union on May 7th. Didn't see anything listed for Houston. Here are the details for Austin:
Wednesday, May 07, 2008 07:00 PM
Michael Chabon, will be promoting Yiddish Policemen's Union, The
Appears on/at: BOOKPEOPLE
603 N Lamar Austin, TX 78704
I really liked The Yiddish Policemen's Union but I was not keen on this one either. Too much like those swashbuckling stories the boys liked to read when I was a kid. I bet men liked it more.
I'm enjoying your lit blog. Glad I found it.
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