Simon Lazarus

Rating:
Summary: This story will transport you!
Review:
I've been around a few years, and I can't say how many times I was told to buy or check out a book in the library only to be utterly disappointed. As I perused works that were recommended in this or that book club, I almost always came up short. What ever happened to just telling a plain, good story? Unfortunately, I can't say this about the majority of the books that have come out over the past ten, twenty years. And so many of them get all this praise, but when it came down to it, there was a sagging ending and a weak story line.

Well, this just isn't so with "Simon Lazarus". This is a helluva read and I'm telling my friends about it! (now the last part of the book takes place in New Orleans, my favorite city-so maybe I'm a teensy bit impartial!) But it's a good story with lots of love and funny stuff and just good story-telling (Not so up on the rock music stuff, but I can always ask my kids!) You will like this teen, Si, his cronies, his goofy family and the silly things he runs into--but most of all, you will appreciate the aspects of this story that will make you ponder what in the heck this life is all about! Read it and be sure to let others know about this wonderful story.


Rating:
Summary: Enlightening and engaging
Review:
I was delighted by this story and am not sure where to start in saying exactly what I liked about it--there was so much I enjoyed. But one thing I especially appreciated was the elder and youth aspect that's woven throughout this narrative. Because I am now a much older man, I see things I may have missed as a young man.

I am a grandfather to boys about Simon's age and I appreciated seeing how this youth sees the world and what his inner thoughts are. Many a time I have wondered what my 18 and 16 year old grandsons are thinking and there's so much silence that I only end up giving examples; I speak to them in my actions because that's what men did for me when I was young. What this book did was show me that there is a way inside these youung men. That I can try speaking to them or at least asking the right questions--perhaps, a little closer to what might be a better and more real approach that I had before reading this marvelous story.

There's a lot of humor here--the characters are amusing--and the antics of Simon and these chracters--are at times, laugh-out-loud-funny. But more importantly, there's an underlying wisdom that supports the story in its entirety.I recommend this book for both young and old. I should know. As an elder, I've now been on both sides!!

Rating:
Summary: The dude's all right
Review: (***and1/2 more like it) ....Hey, I liked this book--- I'm just wondering why every body seems to be going head-over-heels in love with Si here. I mean... this was a good read. Don't get me wrong. I liked this story. But I have a beef about Si's whining and complaining about everything in plain sight. Nothing is right to Si. Nothing. And this got on my nerves. But all in all, I did laugh. I have to admit, I liked the roommates, his leather-babe girlfriend, Lisa, Brad, little sis--Caz, the grand ma, the old man. and on and on...if it weren't for these other characters and the funny situations Si runs into, we'd be in trouble because Si can be a complaining fool.

It took me only four days to read this novel and it was especially in the last section (last 100 pages or so) where I could not put the book down--so the story grows stronger as it goes along. Better than a lot of stuff out there ,though. I dug it, but I also liked : "The Loser's Club", "Life of Pi",
" Running with Scissors" (weird, though-but funny), "Fight Club", and the all time classic, "The Catcher in the Rye". Good reads, all.

Rating:
Summary: One masterpiece deserves another!
Review: When I originally got my hands on this book, I didn't really
think much of it-save for the striking cover art (a da Vinci sketch both on the back and front cover). As I love anything having to do with that Renaissance genius-I can honestly say it may have been my only motive in reading this story-okay, that, and maybe the Eckhart Tolle statement: "A book to be treasured"
on the front cover. However, "Simon Lazarus" sat on my coffee table for weeks. As a last minute gesture before going on a cross-country flight from San Francisco to Boston, I tossed it in my bag with the vague notion of reading it. And read it I did! All the way there and part of the way back! And all I can say is : WOW! The characters! The story! The spiritual aspect. The very depth and quality of this story is just not something you're going to find with the majority of books that are out there today. Believe me, I have read them: "The Secret Life of Bees", "The House of Sand and Fog", "The Lovely Bones", "The Time Traveler's Wife", "The Divine Sisters of the Ya Ya Sisterhood"(Yep, that one, too.) Pick up this book and you are in for a surprisingly delightful and insightful treat. It touched me on so many levels. And I can't remember when I last laughed and cried at the same time-over a book! Besides, this author is clearly ahead of his (?) her time.

Rating:
Summary: Read it--now read it again!
Review: First of all, I got this book-along with some others-as a Christmas
present. The other ones I knew about, but not so with this unusual story. It
was at the bottom of the little stack and I read it in just that order. And to
my delight, I ended up liking Simon Lazarus the most among the others I
received.

There have been some books I've read where I wanted to go back to
the beginning and start all over again-but not too many: One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest was one, another was the timeless, In Cold Blood and more recently,
Life of Pi. Not that these titles have anything to do with this novel, but
Simon Lazarus-at least for me---had the kind of quality that I had to read it a
second time. There is a subtle complexity that I missed the first go-round, and
I enjoyed seeing how the author pulls everything together so neatly and
without notice as in the way the story moves along and concludes so superbly. I
also enjoyed the characters and the dialogue more the second go-round.
Additionally, there's a spiritual and poetic aspect that wasn't as noticeable to me
during the first read and this became all the more powerful and significant to me
when I came across these sections a second time.

I totally recommend this unique story. You may find getting to know
Simon a bit challenging at first- but as you go along, this character begins
to grow on you and by the end, you will end up loving this kid and everyone
else that makes up this extraordinary and so not-so-typical (attention:
disdainful readers!) story. It's one of the best I've read in years. And I was so not
expecting that to be the case.


Rating:
Summary: Enjoy to the very last page!
Review: I admit, I ordered this book because of the glowing reviews (and I'm now joining the list). So I took a chance on this title and I'm glad I did, but other readers may need to know--it took me about 75 pages into the story to warm up to Simon. Once I did (the character, Boyce, is priceless as are the college pals), I began to embrace this marvelous novel. So for me, it started slowly, but my interest grew as the story accelerated. I almost can say I now love this kid and the other fellows (dad, Andy and Simon "the Elder"--former Mafioso "runner") that make up the core of this story. Now the protagonist is highly energized and speaks a brilliant "language" that, at times, made me feel a bit put-out--but that could be because I am 54 years old and have no clue as to the music of "Matchbox Twenty" or "Bad Religion" (though I do remember Iggy Stooge and The Doors). Simon's very smart, funny, self-conscious and wounded yet oddly in tune with his "higher self". First-time author, M.A.Kirkwood is on to something here. And I can't quite say what it is--but "Simon Lazarus" brims with originality. There are intricate sub-themes going on while Simon takes us along his initiative path in a highly entertaining way (which may prompt you to re-read and probably enjoy all the more the second go-round). Be sure, though, to not give up until the very end. (the last section was the best part for me. And the author encapsulates New Orleans beautifully). In summation? A phenomenal read for all ages-and if you are a "late 20th Century baby" (as Simon puts it)-you will especially enjoy. So anyone 18 to 30- this one's for YOU!

Rating:
Summary: What a long, strange, trip it is!!
Review: I had a lot of fun reading this book. It's a goofy story, spun from the head of a teenager--better yet--what Simon calls: "a late 20th Century baby". "Simon Lazarus" takes us on a winding path that leads us to an array of characters that make up Simon's world.I particularly liked Boyce, but the dorm kids, the Detroit "babe" girlfriend, the dwarf and the GREAT grand-dad are all quite trippy and fun.
There's a post-modern-psychedelic-poetic-sprirtual thread that lends a depth and added scope to the story you may not anticipate from the surface appearance of the tale, but this is one of the inherent charms of this unique read. You'll like it!

Rating:
Summary: A nonpareil
Review: I just finished 'Simon Lazarus' a day or so ago and the impressions and the impact of this story are still with me. This is--by far--one of the better reads out there and I've been telling others about it. I don't want to give it away-and I don't think I can add much to what has already been elucidated here by others, but it really is an original. It is a powerful story that brushes against taboos in our culture especially those that deal with males. One aspect>> men do have emotional lives and in our 'hi-tech' culture, it is a reality that seems well hidden. Applause to M. A. Kirkwood in exploring this issue and managing to be colorful, dry-witted and entertaining throughout the tale. (It is a quick-paced read with a distinct terseness to the writing that doesn't lack for editing >>Re: person in CT?<<) One important hint--if I may--I wholeheartedly agree that Simon's story builds and builds as it goes along--growing in fascination as it reaches its conclusion. It is only then that you understand Tolle's excerpt>> "...a book to be treasured"<< on the front cover. So worth your reading time!

Rating:
Summary: Not the best of its genre, but there's much better out there
Review: I read this book shortly after finishing Tartt's A Secret History. One of the main similarities between the books are that they attempt to give an inside view of being part of a priveleged group at a small, rural elite university (some have compared these novels to collegiate versions of Catcher in the Rye, which is reasonable if you drain all the humor out of Cather in the Rye). The other similarity that I picked up on was that they seem to have similar influences (e.g. aforementioned Catcher in the Rye, A Separate Peace, even some F. Scott Fitzgerald).

I have to say that this book came up short in both relative and absolute terms. Compared to Tartt or Salinger, Kirkwood's writing is stilted at best. Her constant usage of italics for emphasis is annoying in terms of both jolting your eye as your read as well as a poor crutch in place of an engaging and expressive writing style. Her characters were quite flat also. There was no depth to the characters, and hence no empathy. Peripheral characters were given exceptionally short shrift, highlighting the fact that the reader does not really get access into any deeper thoughts or motivations for anyone's actions.

The most egregious problem that I had with this book was that it was just plain boring. With a weak plot, thin character development, and an uninteresting writing style, there was nothing to get me through this book except that I tend to finish anything, no matter how bad it is.

As a caveat, since I am the exception to the overwhelmingly positive response to this book, I will say that it suffered in comparison to a truly exceptional book (Middlesex) which I happened to read just prior to this book. This comparison is probably somewhat unfair, as I haven't read anything that I have been as impressed with as that since first reading Faulkner or Nabokov 15 years ago. Also, the rosy memories surrounding the other books, e.g. Catcher in the Rye or A Separate Peace may have also worked against this book, as I haven't read either book in over 10 years, and probably remember them more fondly than would be justified with a more recent reading. In any case, while I am the lone dissenter, it seems like it may be worthwhile for people to give this book a fair shot.

Rating:
Summary: Where's the story?
Review: I was dissappointed by Kirkwoods' Simon Lazaurs. Its such a long and winding road, and not a yellow brick road that leads to magic and fun. No, no. Just distraction after distraction. Only to a dieing great grandfather in a blandly-written New Orleans. How's that? So I would reccommend something else.