Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let The Great World Spin was published last year to rave reviews. Descriptions included magical, sweeping, brilliant, poignant and the perfect New York novel. I am definitely out of step when it comes to current fiction because I missed the magic here - finding this book more style than substance. The book is a set of vignettes chronicling a loosely connected set of Manhattanites in August of 1974. In the background are the Vietnam War, Nixon's resignation and Phillipe Petit- a man who stretched a cable between the World Trade Twin Towers - 103 stories up in the air - and went for a stroll - successfully. Our cast includes two Irish brothers; one a catholic priest, who lives among and befriends a pack of heroin addicted prostitutes; a grieving mother who lost her son in the Vietnam War; and a young married couple trying to break into the NY art world in between cocaine binges. Not the most original or creative set of characters, but with a good story to guide them great novels are made. Unfortunately, and this is the biggest fault I had with Let The Great World Spin, the author doesn't tell us their stories - he explains them. Therefore the characters never became real to me - just their dialogue seemed surreal - and the narrative simply overwhelmed any and all of the underlying stories. Think of watching a movie sitting next to someone who has seen it before and feels the need to keep whispering in your ear - detailing plot twists and characters' actions. At some point you simply want to yell, "Shut up!" I had the same experience/frustration reading this book, hoping - vainly - that the author would remove himself from the narrative. I know I'm in the minority here - but pass on this one.