Daniel

Gut-wrenching to read about specific hospitals and neighborhoods knowing that they will be rubble in less than a decade.

I'm not a moralist when it comes to art but something about this book's view of the world is so repugnant that I couldn't stand it.

Same thematic elements present in The New York Trilogy but with a developed story. Enjoyed the ambiguous nature of the narrative but wish it went a bit further.

My first experience with Borges and I finally see why he is constantly referenced. Short stories that I usually read have never come close to the concept and structures present in Ficciones. The referential, highly literary, mindbending stories all mesh together well yet stand apart on their own, each presenting Borges's thoughts on philosophy, writing, mortality, and other hefty concepts. Favorite story would probably be The Library of Babel.

This is the first Doctorow book I've read and I am astonished. He mixes together fact and fiction until they become one in a way that is incredibly readable and nuanced. You question if a character is a creation, or if they are based on an actual figure, but then realize that it doesn't matter; they all serve a purpose in the creation of an American story. The themes presented such as race, class and love are all nuanced and developed, but the true standout is the idea of fiction itself that Doctorow contemplates. By inserting his creations into real events, and pulling real people out of their historical places, he creates a sense of ebb and flow that brings into question the nature of truth as presented in our historical consciousness. The book is situated in a specific era, but it is an era that is key in understanding our present and possibly our future. The fact that Doctorow is able to structure a novel with a myriad of characters and plot threads in a way in which they all intersect and flow together as one is fantastic. The pure enjoyment of the book, stemming from the incredible prose, sense of humor, and engaging story is enough of a recommendation for anybody, the postmodern themes and ideas that underline the novel make it a required read.

Pretending this never happened.

Decent YA, never had a chance to read it when I was young. Drags hard in the middle but is held up by some deeper than expected concepts. Polar bear fights are cool

The book was so close to connecting with me emotionally but failed, due to not focusing enough time on characters and the general framing of the story not being developed enough. It's obvious that Conklin is going for a Woolf-type of structure with characters being connected through a death that affects them all, but the framing is too erratic to truly enhance the themes in the way that Woolf does. The attempt to juggle many themes across a large timeframe is intriguing but doesn't ever feel developed enough. I do like how Conklin actually tries to reach for that goal, despite the general sense of wasted opportunity. I prefer an author trying to aim high rather than just stick to detached prose and a straightforward narrative.