A review by mepresley
Early Warning by Jane Smiley
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Smiley is undoubtedly a very talented writer and every character who gets any kind of sustained attention seems fully realized despite the structure of the book, and the fact that we spend so little time with some of them. (But one might ask, where were Dean and Tina?)
The second book in the series backs away from the stars of the first book, though we do see them (Rosanna, Eloise, Frank, Joe) and spends more time on the youngest Langdon kids (Lillian, Henry, Claire) and the next generation.
The novel was moving, bringing me to tears more than once, and occasionally profound in the lessons it reflects about life.
However, I felt like the gimmick of one chapter a year didn’t pay off as well here and I found myself irritated with some of the awkward (?)/clunky (?) /unbelievable (?) ways that the characters end up involved in major historical events of the moment. For instance, There were also times that it felt like we were glossing over events too quickly and that readers weren’t being given enough information to understand fully what was happening without their own outside research.
It’s neither here nor there, really, but I found this cast of characters much less likable. I enjoyed Janet and Tim, but I really disliked Michael and Richie and Loretta, and I hated how Frank and Andy turned out. I do love me some Arthur, though, and his relationship with Lillian was beyond lovely.
The second book in the series backs away from the stars of the first book, though we do see them (Rosanna, Eloise, Frank, Joe) and spends more time on the youngest Langdon kids (Lillian, Henry, Claire) and the next generation.
The novel was moving, bringing me to tears more than once, and occasionally profound in the lessons it reflects about life.
However, I felt like the gimmick of one chapter a year didn’t pay off as well here and I found myself irritated with some of the awkward (?)/clunky (?) /unbelievable (?) ways that the characters end up involved in major historical events of the moment. For instance,
Spoiler
Frank showing up the night of the Bobby Kennedy assassination and getting a bad feeling, and Janet with Reverend Jones.Spoiler
This is especially true for me of the political and economic stuff surrounding farming, mostly given to us from Joe’s POV.It’s neither here nor there, really, but I found this cast of characters much less likable. I enjoyed Janet and Tim, but I really disliked Michael and Richie and Loretta, and I hated how Frank and Andy turned out. I do love me some Arthur, though, and his relationship with Lillian was beyond lovely.