Well if you Google this book and the related reviews prior to reading it you will find that it is a highly contested topic among literary critics and readers. I did not know this prior to reading it. It's the book club selection for September so I just started reading it only knowing that it won the Pulitzer. One of my co-workers said her sister absolutely loved the book and another co-worker cosigned on that opinion.
So just based on that and the fact that I want to fully participate in this month's book discussion, I just dove right in. After I finished it, I went online to see what others said. That was when I found out that there seems to be a hot debate that I missed about the worthiness of this book. Since I read it 'blind', I can see why both sides think they have a valid point. It's nice to be objective sometimes.
The book covers the more formative years of Theo Decker. When he is thirteen years old his mother dies in an odd terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. He survives the explosion and manages to escape the museum with his mother's favorite painting in his backpack. After stealing this major work of art the rest of the book is spent with him developing PTSD, a bad drug addiction, anxiety, depression, and several other mental and physical maladies. He's also bounced around from house to house which allows for an interesting array of characters to be introduced. In the background of all this chaos is the stolen painting which enjoys its own special journey from place to place as well. It's a book about art and life and the interconnectedness between the two. It's also about the ugly beauty of life.
Yes, the book is way too long (750+ pages) and occasionally it feels like that. However, there are other sections where the pace is fast and you can easily get through 50-100 pages because the story is moving along. If I were an editor, though, I would have definitely had the author tighten up some of the story line. There were some plot points that I found bland. There were some aspects to the story that were heavily researched, like furniture renovation/refurbishing, but it seems like the author didn't know it was unnecessary to include, seemingly, every single piece of research she unearthed. There's a way you can convey credibility on a subject without overdoing it. I'm going to be honest, I fell asleep on at least two occasions during those lengthy descriptions of antique furniture. Then there were nights when I couldn't put the book down. I would try and close it up for the night, get ready for bed and then just lay there thinking about what could be happening next. So I would flip a light on and finish another few pages.
Overall, that is how the book goes. It's up and down. I wouldn't gush over it, but I definitely wouldn't pan it like some reviewers have. It's a good story. It just needs to be tightened up and some of the more repetitive aspects could be omitted. Also, there is a natural point where you will feel like the story should be over but then it continues for about 10-15 more pages with a ton of philosophical and existential questions and observations by the main character. It felt like that was tacked on as an afterthought. Almost as though the author had to justify the entire book with a think piece at the end. After seeing some of the vitriol that people have spewed regarding this book I realize there are some strong opinions on it. I, personally, think it's worth the read, but I also understand how folks could put it down and give up on it too. It's not for everyone. I trust that readers will know within the first 50-100 pages whether they want to devote the time to the full work. I leave it up to you.
