The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

Rating:
Summary: Losing my Chabon virginity never felt so real.
Review: I've read some of the user reviews that suggest that a reader might want to start elsewhere when "getting into" Chabon.

Well, I'm here to tell you that this was my first, and I absolutely loved it. In fact, I read it faster and with more dedication than any other book of comparable length.

The characters were so alive, the descriptions of Pittsburgh so accurate, and the bouts with sexual identity so, well - I mean, not that I had any doubts about myself while reading this... But I could feel Art's confusion as if it were my own - which it wasn't, though.

I cried when I finished this book, partly because the one character with whom I felt closest fell into some bad fortune, and also because I didn't want it to end.

Look, if you like realistic, vivid, funny, and otherwise entertaining books, this one is one of the finest I've read in a while.

So what if you haven't read Kavalier and Klay? I haven't either - but that one's next.


Rating:
Summary: Literary fiction CAN be gripping and humorous!
Review: This is my first time reading Chabon, and I am thoroughly impressed. I found his novel poignant and intriguing; I kept turning the pages as you might when reading a best-selling thriller. The language is exquisite and I even caught myself reading it outloud sometimes. I can see why critics have compared it to "Catcher in the Rye" and "On the Road."

Also, having attended school in Pittsburgh, it was really neat to see his descriptions of neighborhoods and landmarks, etc. He captured the essence of this endearing city quite well.