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A review by danchrist
Nemesis by Philip Roth
3.0
I wanted to give this one a four, I really, really did. I've loved many of Roth's novels. He has an unmatched command both of the language and plotting, but this one falls to a three for a couple reasons.
Spoiler Alert - Plot Details Follow
I thought the hook to have the book narrated by one of the playground kids who contracted polio was very smart. I did not anticipate that reveal, and when it happened, the language used previously made perfect sense.
Some of the scenes are very powerful, and I'm recalling this now having finished the book about four weeks ago.
The scene in which Bucky is coming to grips with his love for his girlfriend, walks to her home, and has the evening with her father on the back porch was incredibly well done. Also, the scene on the playground in which the kids from the other side of town attempt to start a row with Bucky's kids is, again, incredible. And, of course, the final scene depicting Bucky's javelin practice at the playground, including all the description and detail, blew me away.
It's in part that scene, though, which drops this to a three star review. That Roth could end this book so powerfully and memorably made me, upon closing the book, ask myself why the rest of the novel hand't been that compelling. It just wasn't. Most of the prose is light, far too light for a topic this arduous. Reading this, for me, was akin to reading a Stephen King novel with no profanity, song lyrics, suspense, or death; Roth lite, in other words.
Spoiler Alert - Plot Details Follow
I thought the hook to have the book narrated by one of the playground kids who contracted polio was very smart. I did not anticipate that reveal, and when it happened, the language used previously made perfect sense.
Some of the scenes are very powerful, and I'm recalling this now having finished the book about four weeks ago.
The scene in which Bucky is coming to grips with his love for his girlfriend, walks to her home, and has the evening with her father on the back porch was incredibly well done. Also, the scene on the playground in which the kids from the other side of town attempt to start a row with Bucky's kids is, again, incredible. And, of course, the final scene depicting Bucky's javelin practice at the playground, including all the description and detail, blew me away.
It's in part that scene, though, which drops this to a three star review. That Roth could end this book so powerfully and memorably made me, upon closing the book, ask myself why the rest of the novel hand't been that compelling. It just wasn't. Most of the prose is light, far too light for a topic this arduous. Reading this, for me, was akin to reading a Stephen King novel with no profanity, song lyrics, suspense, or death; Roth lite, in other words.