Negative Positive
Title: A minor masterpiece of character
Review: In another writer's hands, the concept of a narrator suffering from Tourettes', and trying to solve a murder could have been a gimmicky mess. Instead, Jonathan Lethem's MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN turns out to be an intriguing, original and fascinating novel. Lethem is not afraid to take chances and his gamble paid off here. While I agree that the mystery itself is secondary to the character studies (and a drop disappointing), the resulting glimpses into the short-circuiting manners of a Tourettes' victim is a minor masterpiece in character study. In fact, the other realm described here, the motherless world of orphans, is equally brilliant and convincing. Give this book a read--I highly and hugely recommend it.
Is the review positive or negative? 