Sign in with Facebook
Ken's Reviews > Crossroads
Crossroads
by
by
In a blurb on the back of Crossroads, David Gates writes, "If you don't end up liking each one of Franzen's people, you probably just don't like people."
Granted, he was writing about a previous Franzen outing, The Corrections, but it set me to thinking, first about Crossroads and then about my sorry self. Did I like any of the people in this book?
Oh-oh. In all honesty, I did not. Unless you count the only Hildebrandt family member to not get his own chapters, 10-year-old Judson. There's nothing to dislike about the kid because, well, he's not really much characterized. As for his brothers Perry and Clem, oy. And sister Becky, vey. And the leads, Russ and Marion, my God. Or at least their God, who is constantly invoked, and is the most forgiving Fellow you'd ever want to meet (clearly drafted from the New rather than the Old Testament).
As for the book, I'll say this. This is top-grade soap. Well-written. Mostly page-turning, though Franzen occasionally drops exposition late in the game when readers are most sensitive to the plot-interrupting irritants in its ingredients. High marks, then. Like I was back in the 70s when Vietnam meant something. As did long hair. And pot. And booze. And Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice sex. Nothing rare here: well done, Jonathan!
Literature? I didn't find myself stopping to reread any sentences, really. For this joy ride, it's 600 pp. of plot and characterization chiefly fueled by dialogue. But readers like talk. People like talk. (Excepting, if we must, people who "just don't like people.")
So, overall, my first Franzen was an enjoyable one. What's weird is, I'm not sure I'll sign on for the second and third tomes of this trilogy (if that's what it is). This family steals all the bandwidth. They're all elephants shouting, "Let's not forget the elephant (editor's note: singular) in the room!"
Apparently there were no mirrors in the early 70s, for which we can only blame Nixon. And give the 70s that. At least crooks were called crooks and kicked out of office back then. No one worshiped them. No one fawned over them. And certainly no one made martyrs over them.
Bottom line: the book scores well, even if the characters score poorly and some of the melodrama gives your rolling eyes a challenging workout.
Granted, he was writing about a previous Franzen outing, The Corrections, but it set me to thinking, first about Crossroads and then about my sorry self. Did I like any of the people in this book?
Oh-oh. In all honesty, I did not. Unless you count the only Hildebrandt family member to not get his own chapters, 10-year-old Judson. There's nothing to dislike about the kid because, well, he's not really much characterized. As for his brothers Perry and Clem, oy. And sister Becky, vey. And the leads, Russ and Marion, my God. Or at least their God, who is constantly invoked, and is the most forgiving Fellow you'd ever want to meet (clearly drafted from the New rather than the Old Testament).
As for the book, I'll say this. This is top-grade soap. Well-written. Mostly page-turning, though Franzen occasionally drops exposition late in the game when readers are most sensitive to the plot-interrupting irritants in its ingredients. High marks, then. Like I was back in the 70s when Vietnam meant something. As did long hair. And pot. And booze. And Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice sex. Nothing rare here: well done, Jonathan!
Literature? I didn't find myself stopping to reread any sentences, really. For this joy ride, it's 600 pp. of plot and characterization chiefly fueled by dialogue. But readers like talk. People like talk. (Excepting, if we must, people who "just don't like people.")
So, overall, my first Franzen was an enjoyable one. What's weird is, I'm not sure I'll sign on for the second and third tomes of this trilogy (if that's what it is). This family steals all the bandwidth. They're all elephants shouting, "Let's not forget the elephant (editor's note: singular) in the room!"
Apparently there were no mirrors in the early 70s, for which we can only blame Nixon. And give the 70s that. At least crooks were called crooks and kicked out of office back then. No one worshiped them. No one fawned over them. And certainly no one made martyrs over them.
Bottom line: the book scores well, even if the characters score poorly and some of the melodrama gives your rolling eyes a challenging workout.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Crossroads.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
July 30, 2022
–
Started Reading
July 30, 2022
– Shelved
August 1, 2022
–
11.82%
"Taxi-ing for a long runway. Hoping for take-off sooner rather than later."
page
70
August 4, 2022
–
59.12%
"Rather hilarious soap, but it brings the early 70s back (not sure I want it back, but there you have it)."
page
350
August 5, 2022
–
70.1%
"Lots of loathing -- between family members, between reader and characters, in general."
page
415
August 9, 2022
– Shelved as:
contemporary
August 9, 2022
– Shelved as:
finished-in-2022
August 9, 2022
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-20 of 20 (20 new)
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Nick
(last edited Aug 09, 2022 02:49PM)
(new)
-
added it
Aug 09, 2022 02:49PM
The books sounds like only an American would appreciate it. I read The Corrections which was also of an American family. But then, I accepted that our little outpost was evolving into a cultural outpost of America since around the 1970s (when I was young and easily influenced. )
reply
|
flag
Nick wrote: "The books sounds like only an American would appreciate it. I read The Corrections which was also of an American family. But then, I accepted that our little outpost was evolving into a cultural ou..."I looked for your review of The Corrections but came up empty. I do know of non-Americans who liked this book, but it's true, too, that's it's American as week-old apple pie.
It's weird to enjoy a book while being grateful that's it's over with. When I LOVE a book, I hate that it's over.
Ken wrote: "Nick wrote: "The books sounds like only an American would appreciate it. I read The Corrections which was also of an American family. But then, I accepted that our little outpost was evolving into ..."I read Corrections well before I started actively participating on GR. So, memory won't hold up for any detail. GR does what all social media does, it sets the clock to zero on the day it begins.
Elyse wrote: "Ken --I had so much pleasure -- fun inner laughs too --reading your WONDERFUL WELL EXPRESSED review....Top grade soaps --
I happen to like Franzen -- the guy can write IMO -- but I understand MANY..."
Thanks, Elyse. Sometimes I look at the mini-silver screen (black, really), and we do have Netflix. Usually we watch what our kids recommend. Right now, it's Sandman because my son promoted it, but I'll keep an eye out for that quality soap!
I am a product of these times and found Crossroads a rich and relatable read. I also enjoyed delving into the idea of good.I enjoyed reading your review.
Lisa wrote: "I am a product of these times and found Crossroads a rich and relatable read. I also enjoyed delving into the idea of good.I enjoyed reading your review."
I guess good was in play. It just had to work its way around petty and vindictive.
Great review, Ken! And with the proper amount of irony and humor, ingredients that are an important part of Franzen’s prose in general, and of this book in particular.Of non-Americans and this book: we can’t relate to many things in it but we can relate to its less
than perfect characters and the agonies that go with the realization of your own imperfections. 😉 Franzen is really good at realistically portraying people’s inner lives regardless of their nationality.
Violeta wrote: "Great review, Ken! And with the proper amount of irony and humor, ingredients that are an important part of Franzen’s prose in general, and of this book in particular.Of non-Americans and this bo..."
Agreed, as people are people everywhere, good novels have little use for borders or time zones. I don't have much use for them, either.
Thank you for this informative and well written review, Ken. It gives me a good sense of whether I'll like it and if there is a chance that I'll like people. 'Top-grade soap' said it all for me.
Elyse wrote: "Sandman, huh? I’ve heard of it. Enjoy watching it with your son!"Well, he's finished watching. My wife and I have only seen 3 of 10 episodes. Very Harry Potter-like fantasy type stuff, only with profanity and more mature themes. Produced by Warner Bros., so a long way from Bugs Bunny.
Laysee wrote: "Thank you for this informative and well written review, Ken. It gives me a good sense of whether I'll like it and if there is a chance that I'll like people. 'Top-grade soap' said it all for me."Thanks for reading, Laysee. I'm left to wonder if "top-grade soap" sweetens or sours the idea of reading it. ;-) Trust me when I say, I could see it either way.
What a wonderful review of Franzen’s latest book, Ken. And I love your take on people liking people and the 1970s, good stuff!
Thoroughly enjoyed your review, Ken--very fun and helpful! (That blurb just makes me not want to like the characters out of spite.) I wanted to read this for the 70's, but I'm getting the feeling I will dislike Franzen. May put it off a little longer--thanks!
Lorna wrote: "What a wonderful review of Franzen’s latest book, Ken. And I love your take on people liking people and the 1970s, good stuff!"Thanks for the appreciation, Lorna. You're pretty good at this review stuff, too!
Yes, these series take forEVER to get through -- esp. if you're not accustomed to a lot of TV watching. Sandman is a well-regarded graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman, so you have to have a yen for either graphic novels or fantasy or... Neil Gaiman!
Kathleen wrote: "Thoroughly enjoyed your review, Ken--very fun and helpful! (That blurb just makes me not want to like the characters out of spite.) I wanted to read this for the 70's, but I'm getting the feeling I..."Yeah, keep it on your radar, Kathleen. It's mucho interesting, but man, what a holy mess this family is! (That said, holy messes garner readers better than Pollyanna and Horatio Alger.)
A page turning soap sounds perfect for me in these trying times. Will hafta get back in the queue as my turn with a library copy ran out before I had a chance to read it. Thanks for the well written review!
Yvonne wrote: "A page turning soap sounds perfect for me in these trying times. Will hafta get back in the queue as my turn with a library copy ran out before I had a chance to read it. Thanks for the well writte..."You bet, Yvonne. Look forward to your take once the taking takes place (queues seeming longer than lines, for some reason).
But don't you think it is more realistic that there is something to dislike about everyone? If you can only empathize with a 10 year old kid because he is still a blank slate, then yes, it might be you.
Grant wrote: "But don't you think it is more realistic that there is something to dislike about everyone? If you can only empathize with a 10 year old kid because he is still a blank slate, then yes, it might be..."Yes, I agree that it's realistic. As every good novelist (Franzen included) knows, you need characters with flaws because we all have them.
I just like to identify with and cheer on a realistic character with flaws, such as, say, Holden Caulfield. Messed up kid, and lots of readers don't like him because he's a whiner (they say), but I empathize in every way and wish him the best as he goes through his Not-So-Merry Christmas.
In this novel's case, I found no family member to cheer or identify with. So, yeah. As I admitted and you repeated, it's me.
