brk's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book took a good 150 pages to get into the plot and the story. If you can make it that far it’s an interesting read but overall just ok.
sjmaxa's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written book, interesting characters and pretty good plot twists and turns. I found the many Yiddish words cumbersome to read through at first (there's a glossary in back!) but soon became familiar with the language and felt it added a certain authenticity to a larger-than-life novel.
guerra_sio's review
3.0
Loved this book! Even if took its sweet time to get to the meat of the action, the detours were just as interesting and thrilling. The characters are everything. I found the ending a bit disappointing but, weirdly enough, in line with the story.
bbboeken's review against another edition
1.0
Oh. Ik ben een fan van Michael Chabon, maar dit boek was helemaal mijn ding niet. Jammer.
marksanders's review against another edition
4.0
there is no mistake that michael chabon can craft beautiful language and tell a good story. however, there were points in yiddish policemen's union where i found myself getting lost in words and time. that said, the mystery is compelling and the characters / settings are as painterly as ever.
steve_sanders's review against another edition
5.0
Chabon’s best only gets better with each rereading.
thelifenaut's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alsira98's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.5
alcazarz's review against another edition
4.0
A really interesting parallel history setting and characters
jacksezerhga's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m not a fan of fiction nor am I fan of mystery detective tropes. But this work is really fun and exciting! The main character landsman is connectable and flawed enough to be quite lovable. A great story with enjoyable Theological sub tones