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5 out of 5 stars
By
David and Shoshana Cooper
on
02-06-10
One of Auster's Best
I am a big fan of Paul Auster and this is one of his best books. It is not quite as dark as some of his other novels and the story is revealed in an intriguing manner. Unlike most novelist, Auster narrates his own book and I really enjoy his deep voice. (In fact after listening to Brooklyn Follies, I read some other books of his and I could hear his voice telling me the story.)
The characters are complex and without giving away the ending, I will say that it ties up enough of the story without seeming to be contrived. I highly recommend this engaging book.
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6 of 6 people found this review helpful
4 out of 5 stars
By
P. Carson
on
10-30-11
Be willing to suspend your disbelief
I like the author's style of writing, his lively intellect, and his intuition about what his characters are thinking. The subject of this novel, the development, and conclusion of the narrative are all quite puzzling, however, and controversial. How is Walker's incestuous relationship with his sister central to his character or relevant to his conflict with his nemesis, Robert Born? Perhaps his love of women is the product of his early-teen sexual contact with his sister and is central to understanding his protective stance with three other women in the novel. His defense of these women brings him into conflict with Professor Born on several occasions and it is those battles that power the book. Born's multiple roles of Professor, Agent, Double Agent, protector, and murder are also at the heart of the book, however, and those roles are implausible at best. It requires quite a suspension of disbelief to accept the central facts about Born, enjoy the characters in the fable, and continue your appreciation of the author, Paul Auster.
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3 of 3 people found this review helpful