Rarely do I ever start a book and then not finish it--and by "rarely," I mean Noah was just gathering materials for the ark the last time this event occurred. However, last night, 200 pages in, I rejected a book. Yes, yes I did. The Reject was A Thread Of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. [Great gasps are heard around the world.] Please, Blatherscopians! Try to pull yourselves together! I feel awful about this--you know how much I loved The Sparrow. This is incredibly painful for me.
Russell commits the gravest of Writing sins: she tells rather than shows. Although her plot is commendable, her characters do not live (and why does Russell think a normal, healthy, intelligent, womanly 14-year-old girl from an Educated family would not yet know her Multiplication Tables?). One of her most intriguing character attempts is an AWOL German surgeon who oversaw the murders of 91,000 Jews and now wants redemption; his scenes with the daring Jew who tries to save him are the closest thing to actual, believable relationships in the book. But even that couldn't save the novel--they are two among twelve major characters. After 200 pages, I just couldn't stomach any more tarnishment of my opinion of Russell; I had to quit, for the good of our relationship.*
Intuition, however, was masterful. I'm not sure that I loved it, but I sincerely respect this work by Allegra Goodman. If this work is so Masterful, you might ask, why does it garner Respect without Passion? Excellent question, Beloved Readers! First of all, Goodman's prose is tight-- descriptive without being flowery or superfluous. "Unguarded, oblivious, Cliff stood, examining his mice, holding them up by the tail, each in turn. He had results. She [Robin] saw that clearly through the tinted window. Those were results he held there by the tail.
"He had an almost dazed smiled on his face, a smile of utter, innocent joy. She turned away. She'd seen that look before, a gaze as familiar as his tongue, his hands, his fingertips--the realization that he'd finally gotten what he'd wanted."
Goodman elegantly shows the relationship between Cliff and Robin while illuminating as much about Robin's character as she, in turn, observes about Cliff's. Secondly, Goodman's characters are Capital-R Real. Even the minor ones, which is no mean feat. You experience their dreams, fears, pettiness, successes; you understand the human-ness that leads them to their actions. No one is a Villain, but rather an unwilling participant in a Greek Tragedy. Thirdly, the plot tackles the nuances of ethics--scientific, political, personal. Everything is Gray, despite an Absolute Truth. Goodman obviously was careful to choose an Important Field (cancer research) that could not be construed as sensationalist-sexy; its setting gives the plot Grit. However, its very Grit is what prevents me from loving it madly; this is perhaps my failing, rather than the book's. I do, though, heart Allegra Goodman! Very worthy read.
*You know, the relationship that is imaginary.
Russell commits the gravest of Writing sins: she tells rather than shows. Although her plot is commendable, her characters do not live (and why does Russell think a normal, healthy, intelligent, womanly 14-year-old girl from an Educated family would not yet know her Multiplication Tables?). One of her most intriguing character attempts is an AWOL German surgeon who oversaw the murders of 91,000 Jews and now wants redemption; his scenes with the daring Jew who tries to save him are the closest thing to actual, believable relationships in the book. But even that couldn't save the novel--they are two among twelve major characters. After 200 pages, I just couldn't stomach any more tarnishment of my opinion of Russell; I had to quit, for the good of our relationship.*
Intuition, however, was masterful. I'm not sure that I loved it, but I sincerely respect this work by Allegra Goodman. If this work is so Masterful, you might ask, why does it garner Respect without Passion? Excellent question, Beloved Readers! First of all, Goodman's prose is tight-- descriptive without being flowery or superfluous. "Unguarded, oblivious, Cliff stood, examining his mice, holding them up by the tail, each in turn. He had results. She [Robin] saw that clearly through the tinted window. Those were results he held there by the tail.
"He had an almost dazed smiled on his face, a smile of utter, innocent joy. She turned away. She'd seen that look before, a gaze as familiar as his tongue, his hands, his fingertips--the realization that he'd finally gotten what he'd wanted."
Goodman elegantly shows the relationship between Cliff and Robin while illuminating as much about Robin's character as she, in turn, observes about Cliff's. Secondly, Goodman's characters are Capital-R Real. Even the minor ones, which is no mean feat. You experience their dreams, fears, pettiness, successes; you understand the human-ness that leads them to their actions. No one is a Villain, but rather an unwilling participant in a Greek Tragedy. Thirdly, the plot tackles the nuances of ethics--scientific, political, personal. Everything is Gray, despite an Absolute Truth. Goodman obviously was careful to choose an Important Field (cancer research) that could not be construed as sensationalist-sexy; its setting gives the plot Grit. However, its very Grit is what prevents me from loving it madly; this is perhaps my failing, rather than the book's. I do, though, heart Allegra Goodman! Very worthy read.
*You know, the relationship that is imaginary.
No comments:
Post a Comment