I have mixed feelings about this novel but I blame it on the election. So, I picked up The Nix from my college’s library (No fines for faculty for overdue books! No fines! No fines!) back in late October after reading a couple of reviews and hearing the author on NPR (I can’t remember which program). It seemed like it could be a sprawling, intriguing mess, in the vein of The Goldfinch, which I enjoyed. However, it took me over a month to finish this, […]
From the Siege of Chicago to the Recent Past
An unsatisfied Midwestern suburban housewife abandons her husband and young son, only resurfacing decades later when she suddenly and inexplicably attacks a prospective presidential candidate. Suddenly drawn back into his mother’s orbit, her failed writer of a son finds himself torn between an opportunity to cash in on the notoriety and the chance to finally learn his mother’s secrets. Along the way, the narrative will connect a disparate crowd of characters including video-game playing hoarders, entitled college students, Norwegian evil spirits, bankers, violinists, soldiers, poets, […]