I honestly can't understand how this book is so critically adored. It garnered so much praise that one could not help getting drawn in. Unfortunately the book is really not that good. It is too long and frustrating to read after a while. It seems perfectly clear that Franzen thought he was writing something spectacular as the writing is very overwrought and self-important. After the first two parts it becomes increasingly difficult to empathize with the characters, by the time I was halfway through 'the generator' (part four) I honestly didn't even care what happened to any of them, just as long as I never had to deal with them again. After two weeks passed and I had only progressed ten pages beyond that point thanks to an overwhelming reluctance to read anymore I have given up. I've put this book down and couldn't be happier. I am perfectly comfortable not knowing if the Lambert family has their last Christmas together, or if any of them ever cheer up. Hopefully the next time a book generates this amount of hype it will actually deserve it.
I honestly can't understand how this book is so critically adored. It garnered so much praise that one could not help getting drawn in. Unfortunately the book is really not that good. It is too long and frustrating to read after a while. It seems perfectly clear that Franzen thought he was writing something spectacular as the writing is very overwrought and self-important. After the first two parts it becomes increasingly difficult to empathize with the characters, by the time I was halfway through 'the generator' (part four) I honestly didn't even care what happened to any of them, just as long as I never had to deal with them again. After two weeks passed and I had only progressed ten pages beyond that point thanks to an overwhelming reluctance to read anymore I have given up. I've put this book down and couldn't be happier. I am perfectly comfortable not knowing if the Lambert family has their last Christmas together, or if any of them ever cheer up. Hopefully the next time a book generates this amount of hype it will actually deserve it.