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Loading... Small Townby Lawrence Block
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. My first fiction by Block - I had read his 'how to' on writing the novel. Great characterisation, great story, with evocative descriptions of New York and it's people in the aftermath of 9/11. Check out the sex life of Susan the art dealer - can you really, physically do those things? I must get out more... (  ) Bat | Nov 13, 2008 |  Generally, I agree with delphica's review (http://www.librarything.com/review/39...) -- this is an odd book, from an author who writes amazing mysteries, particularly those with a New York City focus. I wasn't as bothered by the raunchy sex, but having read this twice (yes, twice), I remain uncertain what to say about the book and its underlying plot. (  ) TTAISI-Editor | Nov 21, 2006 | (#3 in the 2004 Book Challenge) This was very different from any of the other Block books I've read (mostly, the Bernie the Burglar series which are the kind of books that have a lot of puns, and Hit Man which I think is one of the greatest books ever and everyone should run not walk to find this book and read it and worship it like I do). Anyway, this book, Small Town is set in NYC in the year after 9-11, and that setting is a device that moves the story forward. I thought this was very interesting and admirable, because that was a really strange year (to say the least) but it was a crazy normalized strange because when everyone's having a strange year, it's easy to lose touch with what normal is. I don't think I absorbed how odd it was until I looked back on it. I thought it was admirable because it strikes me as a bit of a risky choice to focus on -- if it doesn't come off, an author could get a lot of backlash on that. Also, this book has A LOT of sex. Raunchy sex. Which is okay, I just wasn't expecting it. I'm still trying to figure out if there was a point to it or not (in terms of serving a purpose in the novel). It did have that annoying aspect of feeling rather forced edgy, I don't like that. I'll decide if I think it's edgy, thankyewverramuch. Grade: a solid B. You know, the more I think about it, the more the sex annoyed me. I still give him credit for writing ultra-believable NYC stories. (  ) delphica | Jul 10, 2006 |  no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com (ISBN 0060011912, Mass Market Paperback)A solid craftsman with five bestselling series under his belt as well as numerous standalone mysteries and short-story collections to his credit, Lawrence Block breaks new ground with a resonant, compelling thriller about one man's response to the Twin Towers tragedy--an insane yet totally comprehensible, seemingly unconnected string of serial murders, or, as the killer calls them, "sacrifices" to the city he believes will be reborn out of the ashes of destruction. Block, a New Yorker born and bred, has penned a paean to the Manhattan he knows and loves, and created a cast of fascinating characters whose lives are touched by the killings. Among the most interesting are a woman whose sexual obsessions ensnare a former police commissioner who's being groomed for higher political office, a crime novelist uncertain about his own culpability in the so-called Carpenter Killings, and a gay housecleaner whose clients keep ending up dead. This may be Block's best novel to date--it's certainly his most erotic and astonishing one, and it will keep you going until the last extraordinary page. A mesmerizing take on New York after 9/11, this solidly paced, brilliantly executed thriller deserves all the attention it will surely receive. --Jane Adams(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:08 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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