Dog Art Today

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: To Read or Not to Read?

Written by

Moira McLaughlin

in

Jon_han_edgar_sawtelle
Jon Han for the NYT

Is anybody else having trouble getting through The Story of Edgar Sawtelle?  I enthusiastically featured it here back in June (before reading it) when Janet Maslin called it "the most enchanting debut novel of the summer."

Well, I'm not feeling it.  It started with page-turning intrigue, but then shifted into slow-going, though at times strikingly beautiful, descriptive narrative.  But it is strangely without context, almost like a fable.

Mike Peed's NYT review sums up my feelings: "The result is a sprawling, uneven work, at times brilliant but elsewhere sentimental and tedious."  And he finished the book.

If you want to discuss it, there is a lively debate on it with spoilers about the ending that many who don't know their Hamlet are furious about at Secretly Ironic.  I think I am going to move on with something new.  Alas, parting is such sweet sorrow.

Comments

8 responses to “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: To Read or Not to Read?”

  1. Kathleen Avatar
    Kathleen

    Didn’t she give James Frey’s new book a rave too, one that’s been getting less than glowing reviews elsewhere? I respect her writing on film but may have to take her opions on books with a grain of salt.

    Reply
  2. Moira Avatar
    Moira

    And Stephen King “flat-out loved it” and plans on re-reading it.
    ‘Sup with that?
    Answer Girl’s recommendations are really the only ones I trust…check out her book blog here…
    http://answergirlnet.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  3. Clair Avatar
    Clair

    Thanks, Moira! I have not read Edgar Sawtelle — I’m always wary about the books that everyone raves about, having been disappointed too many times (Special Topics in Calamity Physics, anyone?)
    Moira, you would love Lisa Lutz’s two books, The Spellman Files and Curse of the Spellmans — sort of a cross between Nancy Drew and the Glass family. Also try Declan Hughes’s Ed Loy series, very hard-boiled crime fiction set in Dublin, gorgeous writing.
    The best thing I’ve read lately, though, was nonfiction: Reading the OED, by Ammon Shea, which is like opening a big box of chocolates.

    Reply
  4. Moira Avatar
    Moira

    Thanks, Clair! You have never steered me wrong.

    Reply
  5. Kathleen Avatar
    Kathleen

    I bow down to Answer Girls recommendations always! Lisa Lutz’s books sound great!

    Reply
  6. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    I’m about halfway through, and yes, am hoping the story picks up..but now am wondering…but I think I’ll trudge through it as I’ve given up on a few books last year, and since I’ve laid down my cash for this one..it seems a shame not to finish.

    Reply
  7. Moira Avatar
    Moira

    Go for it, Melissa. Let me know what you think when you finish it. I’m curious.

    Reply
  8. Bill White Avatar
    Bill White

    I had a hard time sticking with it, but I finally managed to finish it. I was very dissapointed with the ending. Big let down.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More posts