jeanetterenee's review against another edition
3.0
This one was a little cheezer compared to the first book in the series. A lot of the things in the plot were just a little too contrived, and the attempts at humor were heavy-handed. Still an enjoyable enough quick read, though.
The story takes place in 1981. Moe Prager sets out to discover what really caused a fire at a resort in the Catskills that killed 16 people in 1965.
The story takes place in 1981. Moe Prager sets out to discover what really caused a fire at a resort in the Catskills that killed 16 people in 1965.
ctgt's review against another edition
4.0
I read and really enjoyed the first Moe Prager book about a year ago; Coleman hit home with me with the reluctant PI angle and when I saw this at the library I figured it was about time to follow up with the series. Apparently, this volume was doomed from the start. I don't know the exact history but it went from distribution to bargain bin very quickly. It didn't sell well and got none of the accolades the next installment, [b:The James Deans|297987|The James Deans|Reed Farrel Coleman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309288648s/297987.jpg|289111] received.
Moe hasn't worked a case since the first book but has been working at the wine shop he and his brother opened in the city. Once again he is dragged into another case, this time revolving around a deadly fire in a hotel that occurred sixteen years ago in the "Borscht Belt" area of the Catskills. Moe meanders around the case and there are several pretty good twists but there are some deeper themes here. Coleman talks about them in his afterword as he goes into the rocky past of the book, the paperback reissue and some of his thoughts as he himself, re-read the book. I have to say I generally just skim over an afterword but I found this one very interesting. Coleman says that in [b:Walking the Perfect Square|1868218|Walking the Perfect Square|Reed Farrel Coleman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1316937731s/1868218.jpg|1869015] we are introduced to Moe the person, while in [b:Redemption Street|236797|Redemption Street|Reed Farrel Coleman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309287509s/236797.jpg|229357] we find the soul of Moe, especially his Jewish soul. I think this statement by Coleman really sums up the book nicely,
I think somepeople enjoy the novel because I took on serious topics like cultural assimilation, Jewish self-hatred, and anti-Semitism.
But at its core, Redemption Street is the work that lays out the pattern of Moe's obsession with the past and his dread of its implications for the future.
Moe hasn't worked a case since the first book but has been working at the wine shop he and his brother opened in the city. Once again he is dragged into another case, this time revolving around a deadly fire in a hotel that occurred sixteen years ago in the "Borscht Belt" area of the Catskills. Moe meanders around the case and there are several pretty good twists but there are some deeper themes here. Coleman talks about them in his afterword as he goes into the rocky past of the book, the paperback reissue and some of his thoughts as he himself, re-read the book. I have to say I generally just skim over an afterword but I found this one very interesting. Coleman says that in [b:Walking the Perfect Square|1868218|Walking the Perfect Square|Reed Farrel Coleman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1316937731s/1868218.jpg|1869015] we are introduced to Moe the person, while in [b:Redemption Street|236797|Redemption Street|Reed Farrel Coleman|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309287509s/236797.jpg|229357] we find the soul of Moe, especially his Jewish soul. I think this statement by Coleman really sums up the book nicely,
I think somepeople enjoy the novel because I took on serious topics like cultural assimilation, Jewish self-hatred, and anti-Semitism.
But at its core, Redemption Street is the work that lays out the pattern of Moe's obsession with the past and his dread of its implications for the future.
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