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peteradamson's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the Libby Holden character although her fate didn’t quite ring true. And I didn’t really buy the relationship between the narrator and his campaign sex GF’s fate either.
Little did we know DJT was to come!
Mostly enjoyed this book though the audiobook narrator I had pronounced so many words wrong that I questioned the product. Where was the editor?
Little did we know DJT was to come!
Mostly enjoyed this book though the audiobook narrator I had pronounced so many words wrong that I questioned the product. Where was the editor?
stacyslap's review against another edition
2.0
I read this as part of my own challenge to read the NYT number one books that correspond with my birthday. It is not something I would choose to read on my own and this book confirms why. I found it incredibly tedious and boring. I can see why the author preferred t try and stay anonymous, lol. I do find it distasteful that the author ended up being a journalist. I would definitely question the journalistic integrity of any articles he has written since this isn't the type of book you would write as an impartial journalistic witness. I can see why the hype would make people buy it and read it in 1996 but I don't think the book aged well at all. It would have been shocking back then but the gossip and revelations in this book seem very tame anymore, unfortunately.
nyx_who's review against another edition
2.0
This book wasn't my cup of tea.
The story itself wasn't entirely gripping. The political intrigue is fitting particularly in the current political climate. However, for me, the writing did not immerse me enough for the intrigue to set in. I found it hard to get through the book.
The story itself wasn't entirely gripping. The political intrigue is fitting particularly in the current political climate. However, for me, the writing did not immerse me enough for the intrigue to set in. I found it hard to get through the book.
verityw's review against another edition
4.0
Crikey. Just when you think your opinion of American politics can't get any lower, you read this. It's fascinating, and very readable, but if half of this goes on in real life, I worry for the future!
punchofwishes's review against another edition
3.0
An intriguing story about a presidential campaign in all its details and intricacies. A whole cast of characters illuminate different aspects of campaigning and politics in general. Despite all this, the story doesn’t quite achieves its own potential. Several storylines go no where or get tied up in an unsatisfying way. At times, one isn’t even sure where the story is going since there are so many twists and turns that feel baseless instead of surprising. The romantic entanglements are overly convoluted and the reconciliation between Henry and Daisy is completely unrealistic and rushed. On a more form focused level, both the political slang and regional accents are annoying and don’t add any real value to the book. Knowing the author is white added to my discomfort about the way race was written in this book. Most unsatisfying about this story that had everything in itself to entertain me was that no character was allowed to be decent or god forbid good. They introduced them, build them up and almost immediately tore them down. The cynical world view presented that no one is a good person or even an average one is deeply uncomfortable to me.
taetris's review against another edition
3.0
This novel details the ups and downs of a political campaign in the US. Jack Stanton os running for democratic presidential nominee in the democratic primaries. The story unfolds through the eyes of Henry Burton, who works for the campaign. There are setbacks and high flights, scandals and triumphs.
The writing style takes some getting used to - i hadn't gotten used to it by the end. It is fractured and jolts around a bit. Some things I didn't catch, though that may have been due to the fact that I am no insider to American politics.
To the European mind, the campaign seems quite insane. The amount of money and energy that goes into a run only for a nomination is staggering. In my country, the fact that a party exceeded the 7 million ceiling for spending on a general election made the news.
While the story seems crazy, this is not because it seems unrealistically thought out - quite the opposite.
I would be interested to hear what the author - if they are still alive - thinks of todays US politics.
The writing style takes some getting used to - i hadn't gotten used to it by the end. It is fractured and jolts around a bit. Some things I didn't catch, though that may have been due to the fact that I am no insider to American politics.
To the European mind, the campaign seems quite insane. The amount of money and energy that goes into a run only for a nomination is staggering. In my country, the fact that a party exceeded the 7 million ceiling for spending on a general election made the news.
While the story seems crazy, this is not because it seems unrealistically thought out - quite the opposite.
I would be interested to hear what the author - if they are still alive - thinks of todays US politics.
emmaaclaire's review against another edition
3.0
This took a while for me to get into and I'm not sure I ever really cared about the characters, but as someone with an interest in politics this was a good read.
kate_elizabeth's review against another edition
2.0
eh. Probably better than two stars, too distracted by my life right now to focus on it.
grs909's review against another edition
3.0
I read this shortly after it was published in the late 1990's. I enjoyed it then and I enjoyed it again now.