The Sisters Brothers

This was a fast read (two weekend sittings). Engaging and fun, but it never managed to get good. Am I horrible to say that it seemed to be trying too hard to be a Coen brothers film? Someone somewhere described it as failing to congeal, and that is pretty much it. Some great elements, some very entertaining and affecting parts, but never amounting to more than their sum. Maybe I'm missing something but I thought the intermissions were completely out there. The glowing gold was a bit much for me too. A few too many anachronisms among what was otherwise a great historical setting and evocation of the time. Warm‰ЫЄs back story was unnecessary and a cheap way to plump up the ending – I would rather have heard more about their previous assignment. I find the endings of most books disappointing, but here it worked well and ended neatly, which helped me forgive some other parts.