A review by hoodster
Dalva by Jim Harrison

3.0

This was one of my favorite novels when I read it for the first time in my life 20s. I just finished re-reading it 30 years later and was quite surprised not to enjoy it. There are still enough highlights to garner a three star rating, but I can't say that I would recommend the book. Harrison is often pedantic, pretentious, discursive, and sometimes annoying. The main characters are not particularly realistic or likable. The exceptions would be Naomi and the elderly Swede.

I also find it strange that this book is marketed with Dalva appearing as a Native American in the cover art, and yet there is nothing in the narrative to support this version of her appearance.

I had the same frustrating experience re-reading Wolf, which I also found brilliant in my 20s. Maybe Harrison is a young man's author.