Jonathan Franzen

Man, Franzen is fun to read! It's a little concerning when 500 pages just fly by in a day- I felt like I just had some kind of TV marathon. I'm not sure whether it's good or bad that he reads so easily, but it's enjoyable… like eating candy! Like The Corrections, Freedom deals with more dysfunctional unhappy American middle class people. I didn't like the Berglunds as much as I did the Lamberts (probably because they weren't as funny) but I think this story is deeper and more cohesive. A lot of people hate Franzen because his characters are despicable and unsympathetic, but that didn't bother me. Sure they are unlikable, but they're not irredeemable. Sometimes it's interesting watching people fuck up. I liked how the effects of bad parenting mangiest themselves in the next federation, how you try to fix those mistakes but end up screwing up in your own way. But you can't just blame your parents because it's your fault as well! Freedom can be just as constrictive as it is liberating, as having lots of money and options leads to lots of unhappiness. Normally it's cliche and disastrous to use made up rock stars in fiction, but I liked Richard Katz and his career trajectory from punk to alt. country (one almost wishes Nameless Lake existed!). A guy who didn't choose the conventional life path… but did he turn out any happier? He perfectly represented Patty's love for what she can't have, something that affects a LOT of people. And poor Walter caught in the middle of it- the Pierre to Patty's Natasha and Richard's Andre. I LOVED the War and Peace references and they seemed appropriate because I could definitely get a Tolstoy vibe out of this. Also enjoyed the indie music references and snarky remarks about Dave Matthews Band and Bright Eyes. Maybe it's not quite brilliant, but it's certainly not terrible and if you can handle flawed people in contemporary America you should give Freedom a try!… (more)

The Corrections by Johnathan Franzen was a bookclub read and one of those books that when you pick it up you groan and say I am not going to like this one. Well!! never judge a book by its cover (and its not a very appealing cover) its Blurb ( is pretty depressing) or the first 50 pages (had me scratching my head thinking what is this book about) but if you can get past all that this is quite and interesting and well written Novel.

"The Lamberts - Enid and Alred and their three grown up children are a Troubled( with a Capital T) family living in a troubled age. Alfred is slowly losing his mind to parkinson's disease. As his condition worsens and the Lamberts are forced to face the secrets and failures that haunt them. Enid sets her heart on gathering her family together for one last christmas.

While the characters in this novel are by no means likable they are interesting well developed.

The prose is a little over the top by times and you get the feeling the author is showing off his litercy skills but having said that there are some very well written and moving moments in the book.
One sentence that really stood out for me was;

"When had it happened that his parents had become the children who went to bed early and called down for help from the top of the stairs, when had this happened?.

I did however find this book way too long and think it really could have said all it needed to say in about 450 pages. I found it a little strange that the Lambert family had no happy moments in any of their lives.

While I did enjoy the read and not sure I would recommend it as it really is a book that some will love and others will hate. Would have rated it 3.5 stars if I could.… (more)