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micheleheather's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
drskaninchen's review against another edition
3.0
This book informed me about a part of history I knew little. The account of the trial of the Isaacsons was the best part of the book. Daniel himself; I did not like so much. The sexual politics of this book are objectionable. Daniel sees every woman as a sexual object (including his own sister!) and thinks every woman wants to have sex with him too. This stopped me from really enjoying the novel.
leonidasm's review against another edition
4.0
Ο Doctorow γνωρίζουμε όλοι ότι είναι ένας πολιτικοποιημένος αριστερών πεποιθήσεων συγγραφέας. Στο βιβλίο του Ντάνιελ καταπιάνεται με την ιστορία των Ρόζενμπεργκ που εκτελέστηκαν στις ΗΠΑ για κατασκοπεία.
Πάνω σε αυτό στήνει μια μυθοπλασία που πατάει σε πραγματικά γεγονότα, το αγαπημένο του δηλαδή μοτίβο, αλλά εδώ το γράψιμο του δεν έχει σχέση με οτιδήποτε άλλο έχω διαβάσει δικό του και είναι το τέταρτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω.
Η αφήγησή του αλλάζει από πρωτοπρόσωπη σε τριτοπρόσωπη ακόμα και στην ίδια σελίδα, οι χρονικές στιγμές από τη μια παράγραφο στην άλλη μπορεί να απέχουν 10 χρόνια χωρίς να το περιμένεις και αυτό σου δημιουργεί αρχικα ένα μπέρδεμα και μετά απλά καταλαβαίνεις και χρειάζεται να αφοσιωθείς και να συγκεντρωθεις στην ιστορία που έτσι κι αλλιώς είναι από μόνη της δυνατή.
Εκείνος αν τα καταφέρει να σε βάλει στο λαβύρινθο του, τελειώνοντας θα έχεις διαβάσει ένα βιβλίο που θα το σκέφτεσαι για καιρό και θα ψάχνεις λεπτομέρειες της πραγματικής ιστορίας ή θα σε χαώσει και θα το τρέξεις ή θα το παρατήσεις.
Λεπτομέρειες για την υπόθεση έχουν γραφτεί από άλλους εδώ μέσα, εγώ θα παραθέσω μόνο μια φράση που επαναλαμβάνεται στο βιβλίο και λέει πολλά ακόμα και για την εποχή που ζούμε, τρεις μόνο λέξεις.
Ακόμα μας γαμάνε.
Πάνω σε αυτό στήνει μια μυθοπλασία που πατάει σε πραγματικά γεγονότα, το αγαπημένο του δηλαδή μοτίβο, αλλά εδώ το γράψιμο του δεν έχει σχέση με οτιδήποτε άλλο έχω διαβάσει δικό του και είναι το τέταρτο βιβλίο που διαβάζω.
Η αφήγησή του αλλάζει από πρωτοπρόσωπη σε τριτοπρόσωπη ακόμα και στην ίδια σελίδα, οι χρονικές στιγμές από τη μια παράγραφο στην άλλη μπορεί να απέχουν 10 χρόνια χωρίς να το περιμένεις και αυτό σου δημιουργεί αρχικα ένα μπέρδεμα και μετά απλά καταλαβαίνεις και χρειάζεται να αφοσιωθείς και να συγκεντρωθεις στην ιστορία που έτσι κι αλλιώς είναι από μόνη της δυνατή.
Εκείνος αν τα καταφέρει να σε βάλει στο λαβύρινθο του, τελειώνοντας θα έχεις διαβάσει ένα βιβλίο που θα το σκέφτεσαι για καιρό και θα ψάχνεις λεπτομέρειες της πραγματικής ιστορίας ή θα σε χαώσει και θα το τρέξεις ή θα το παρατήσεις.
Λεπτομέρειες για την υπόθεση έχουν γραφτεί από άλλους εδώ μέσα, εγώ θα παραθέσω μόνο μια φράση που επαναλαμβάνεται στο βιβλίο και λέει πολλά ακόμα και για την εποχή που ζούμε, τρεις μόνο λέξεις.
Ακόμα μας γαμάνε.
alanffm's review against another edition
4.0
A powerful book that unfortunately did not quite resonate well with me. There is no doubt that the placement of The Book of Daniel as a great work of Postwar American literature is spot on, but there is something offputting about Doctorow's novel which takes a lot away from it. Danny's psychotic Marxism and Marxist analyses (of everything) can be a bit too much, Doctorow's never ending vulgarity often takes away from the book instead of giving to it, and whole sections of the book could have easily been cut out. This is not to say Doctorow's writing is bad - far from it- it is the mediocre parts that ruin great passages (like the Disneyland section among several other powerful moments).
The Book of Daniel shows that historical fiction need not be bland, yet it says little about historical accuracy. While the political spirit in the novel reflects the mindset of 1960's counterculture and what preceded it with (what I am told) astounding accuracy, the actual story of the Isaacson's (or in real life the Rosenberg's) was in reality very different then in this retelling of history.
The Book of Daniel shows that historical fiction need not be bland, yet it says little about historical accuracy. While the political spirit in the novel reflects the mindset of 1960's counterculture and what preceded it with (what I am told) astounding accuracy, the actual story of the Isaacson's (or in real life the Rosenberg's) was in reality very different then in this retelling of history.
emmajdavies's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Found it odd and disturbing. But well written so you kept engaged with some frankly unloveable people
rebcamuse's review against another edition
4.0
This is not an easy book to read on many counts, mostly due to its historic truths and ability to turn larger narratives into personal mirrors. Doctorow does not resort to victimizing the Isaacsons (who represent Julius and Ethel Rosenberg), and there are no heroes. He unfolds the layers of complexity in the Rosenberg case by re-framing it more intimately, primarily from the perspective of the fictional Daniel. This is perhaps where the reader is the most sympathetic because he reminds us that traitors, villains, conspirators are also mothers, fathers, spouses, siblings. Daniel's character is the sum total of the worst consequences of American anti-Communism in the 1950s, carrying the current of the electric chair far beyond the execution room.
Updated (Summer 2013) Very worth a second read. This was part of a reading activity for the incoming freshman and I felt that it was difficult for them to really connect to the story without having a good bit of background on the Rosenbergs. The second reading for me, however, was very powerful, and I saw the characters a bit differently this time, with less sympathy for, but more comprehension of, Daniel.
Updated (Summer 2013) Very worth a second read. This was part of a reading activity for the incoming freshman and I felt that it was difficult for them to really connect to the story without having a good bit of background on the Rosenbergs. The second reading for me, however, was very powerful, and I saw the characters a bit differently this time, with less sympathy for, but more comprehension of, Daniel.
kishka's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
terrypaulpearce's review against another edition
4.0
This was extremely close to five stars for me... there was so much beauty in so many places, and so much incredibly astute observation. I learned much about that time, and about power, and about language... what lost a star for me is the slightly too frequent sense of confusion in strange textual shifts and non-sequiturs. I like some fats and loose stuff with person, tense, playfulness, you know, but if it takes me out of the book and makes me say 'whut?' too often, it's too much. But there were still enough here to make me love this and get past all that with pleasure, and while this was my first Doctorow, it won't be my last.
kmatthe2's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant. One of the best books written about the "event" that was the Rosenbergs (read with Kushner's "Angels in America" and [for a heaping of sardonic satire] Coover's _The Public Burning_). Doctorow draws us into questions of self, nation, and other that feel particularly relevant during this time of "patriot acts." A must-read for anyone interested in postwar American lit.
kaatiba's review against another edition
4.0
There were parts that were golden, passages that made me hurt from how much truth rang from it, but then there would be highly unnecessary awfulness. Daniel's an awful person, we get it, it just comes across as the author enjoying sick and twisted fantasy perversion.