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Title: Dark, engrossing fiction
Review: One of Cheever's darkest and angriest books, it's easy to see how his personal troubles spilled over into the characters of Hammer and Nailles. This is allegory to be sure, but too often allegories like this end up with characters who feel like nothing buy puppets instead of people. That never happens here. Hammer and Nailles are fully formed characters with their own fears and phobias. The book reads quickly and ends with a great knockout climax that stuck with me for days. More so-called "literary" novels should follow Cheever's example and tell a good story with precision and tension.
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