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rebcamuse's review
3.0
Let me preface this with this: I LOVE E.L. Doctorow. Loved [b:City of God|24912|City of God|E.L. Doctorow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1373960733s/24912.jpg|25689]. Loved [b:Ragtime|175675|Ragtime|E.L. Doctorow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320531790s/175675.jpg|551195]. Loved [b:The Book of Daniel|411761|The Book of Daniel|E.L. Doctorow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1174516442s/411761.jpg|623973]. So, ok...I didn't LOVE [b:Homer & Langley|6324914|Homer & Langley|E.L. Doctorow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320536383s/6324914.jpg|6510464], but at least I didn't finish the book thinking I had lost my facility to comprehend English.
I wish I could tell you I know what this book is about. There's a con-man/fugitive "protagonist" who is not at all likeable or even interestingly evil. There's a bizarre ladylove who dances in and out of self-respect every chapter or so. The most interesting character is a maid, who disappears from the narrative fairly early on. The depressed and eccentric poet holds promise, yet he also vanishes.
I get that this was an experiment. There are moments of that great Doctorow language that I treasure. But as a coherent book it fails. I totally understand that some people find this work a "stunning masterpiece" and "utterly compelling." Variety is definitely the spice of life, and I am probably the dry saltine of literature here, but this one really did not do it for me.
I wish I could tell you I know what this book is about. There's a con-man/fugitive "protagonist" who is not at all likeable or even interestingly evil. There's a bizarre ladylove who dances in and out of self-respect every chapter or so. The most interesting character is a maid, who disappears from the narrative fairly early on. The depressed and eccentric poet holds promise, yet he also vanishes.
I get that this was an experiment. There are moments of that great Doctorow language that I treasure. But as a coherent book it fails. I totally understand that some people find this work a "stunning masterpiece" and "utterly compelling." Variety is definitely the spice of life, and I am probably the dry saltine of literature here, but this one really did not do it for me.
rebcamuse's review against another edition
3.0
Let me preface this review with this: I LOVE E.L. Doctorow. Loved City of God. Loved Ragtime. Loved The Book of Daniel. So, ok...I didn't LOVE Homer & Langley, but at least I didn't finish the book thinking I had lost my facility to comprehend English.
I wish I could tell you I know what this book is about. There's a con-man/fugitive "protagonist" who is not at all likeable or even interestingly evil. There's a bizarre ladylove who dances in and out of self-respect every chapter or so. The most interesting character is a maid, who disappears from the narrative fairly early on. The depressed and eccentric poet holds promise, yet he also vanishes.
I get that this was an experiment. There are moments of that great Doctorow language that I treasure. But as a coherent book it fails. I totally understand that some people find this work a "stunning masterpiece" and "utterly compelling." Variety is definitely the spice of life, and I am probably the dry saltine of literature here, but this one really did not do it for me.
I wish I could tell you I know what this book is about. There's a con-man/fugitive "protagonist" who is not at all likeable or even interestingly evil. There's a bizarre ladylove who dances in and out of self-respect every chapter or so. The most interesting character is a maid, who disappears from the narrative fairly early on. The depressed and eccentric poet holds promise, yet he also vanishes.
I get that this was an experiment. There are moments of that great Doctorow language that I treasure. But as a coherent book it fails. I totally understand that some people find this work a "stunning masterpiece" and "utterly compelling." Variety is definitely the spice of life, and I am probably the dry saltine of literature here, but this one really did not do it for me.
koreilly's review against another edition
4.0
If you don't want an experimental great depression novel with multiple perspectives, stream of conscious madness and Zen koans hidden through out then don't read this book.
Your loss.
Your loss.
sarah_dietrich's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favourite Doctorow. Some great moments that shine through. Preferred it to Billy Bathgate, like it less than The Waterworks, Ragtime and The Book of Daniel.
chope's review against another edition
it’s just wildly misogynistic. I don’t need my characters to be morally upright all the time, but there has got to be some redeeming qualities or meaningful reasons for their shortcomings. I didn’t feel like it was worth the time to get through it.
absalomabsalom's review against another edition
Just spent 2 weeks in california
Sunk very deep and yet remained all the time skimming some dark green-black surface
I feel strength when i think of my core and when i think of my dearest friends
Life continues on, the register keeps the score
Sunk very deep and yet remained all the time skimming some dark green-black surface
I feel strength when i think of my core and when i think of my dearest friends
Life continues on, the register keeps the score
viktoriya's review against another edition
My first introduction to E.L. Doctorow and this book might not have been a good choice. I simply couldn't read it. Half of the time I had no idea who he is talking about, and the other half of the time I was trying to make sense of the poetry and bio snips in the middle of the story.
lekg's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
johnnygamble's review against another edition
3.0
what have we here? honestly don't know. what I do know is that I thought I wouldn't like it and I almost enjoyed it. almost.
ebree123's review against another edition
1.0
Gets one star for its experimental writing style, which, while challenging at times, was ultimately interestingly executed. Loses four stars for a complete inability to write a female character without morbidly over sexualizing her or distilling her to her appearance, and despising her for it.
I don't believe books need to (always) provide some sort of great moral framework, but I also don't think any novel should be allowed to scrape by with characters that are as frustratingly two dimensional as the women of this book.
The scattered style and plot of this book are meant to be grounded by the story of our main character, Joe who, while clearly not meant to be seen as "moral hero on a journey," barely even fits the standard of "passably likeable protagonist" - - and describes himself in great detail assaulting both of his romantic partners in language that suggests arousal rather than shame or regret. It's not just that the character has no discernible journey or growth from the beginning of the book to its end; it's that the whole novel appears to be an exercise in futility and a third of its cast of characters are never developed beyond ineffective, poorly written foils.
Also, not necessarily one to get up in arms about nudity, but if this novel described female genitilia one more time I was going to throw it off my fire escape.
All of this is really unfortunate because the descriptive passages are often beautifully and fluidly written and some of the (male) supporting characters are truly interesting and I'm sad the author didn't delve into them more deeply.
Truly only finished this one because I wanted to complete the good reads book challenge on time, and also because I didn't feel I had the right to an opinion without finishing the book in its entirety. Would not recommend to any other readers.
I don't believe books need to (always) provide some sort of great moral framework, but I also don't think any novel should be allowed to scrape by with characters that are as frustratingly two dimensional as the women of this book.
The scattered style and plot of this book are meant to be grounded by the story of our main character, Joe who, while clearly not meant to be seen as "moral hero on a journey," barely even fits the standard of "passably likeable protagonist" - - and describes himself in great detail assaulting both of his romantic partners in language that suggests arousal rather than shame or regret. It's not just that the character has no discernible journey or growth from the beginning of the book to its end; it's that the whole novel appears to be an exercise in futility and a third of its cast of characters are never developed beyond ineffective, poorly written foils.
Also, not necessarily one to get up in arms about nudity, but if this novel described female genitilia one more time I was going to throw it off my fire escape.
All of this is really unfortunate because the descriptive passages are often beautifully and fluidly written and some of the (male) supporting characters are truly interesting and I'm sad the author didn't delve into them more deeply.
Truly only finished this one because I wanted to complete the good reads book challenge on time, and also because I didn't feel I had the right to an opinion without finishing the book in its entirety. Would not recommend to any other readers.