Mark Helprin

Helprin produces some beautiful writing, but for me there were too many words. Many of his poetic descriptions and asides not only did not move the story forward, they got in the way and seemed to jump out at me as the writer showing off his writing prowess. I couldn't connect or come to like the main character, Jules, and up until page 96, when I stopped, there was no one else to try to relate to. This was a book that I didn't look forward to picking up and reading, and when I did, I wanted to put it back down. Which I finally did. (May 2020)

I had put this back on the to-be-read shelf and gave it another try this week. Once again, I didn't want to pick it up (resorted to doing sudokus as an avoidance technique) and when I did, was happy to put it back down. This time it goes onto the heave-ho shelf.… (more)

Mark Helprin surpasses all authors I’ve read in his ability to describe people, places, things, philosophical perspectives, feelings, music, art, moments . . .alright, ANYTHING, and move me to tears in the rapturous sublimity of it all. . .but that doesn’t mean, that while listening to the almost 30 hours of this book that I didn’t experience exasperation, and sadly, in the end, disappointment---maybe even anger over having invested so much time and admiration, for a broken promise that I would put the story away satisfied and content.… (more)