American Pastoral by Philip RothMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The older a river gets, the more winding it becomes. This makes for a scenic paddle, but don't expect to cover much ground.
"An act of domestic terrorism blows apart the perfect family" - the plot summary doesn't reveal how many pages are spent detailing the ins and outs of the glove manufacturing process in New Jersey. Further, no matter how many characters the narrator writes off as bores, their pedantry is transcribed at length. I almost never skim; I skimmed a lot. Against this drone, a few key scenes stood out with shocking immediacy. While the contrast must have been intentional, it required serious investment to appreciate it.
For readers who have followed Philip Roth through his writing life, I'd be interested to know your thoughts. Is this his voice, or is this a put-on of rambling American sentimentalism? It all felt a bit long and heavy.
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