Timoleon Vieta Come Home : A Sentimental Journey

Rating:
Summary: a terrifically written tragedy
Review: Rhodes -- one of Granta's best young British novelists -- has written a moving and meaningful short novel full of great sentences and original characters. Other reviewers on this page have derided the book because it's "sad" or "cruel." Sorry, folks, but life can be both, at times. A highly recommended read.

Rating:
Summary: A great read spoiled
Review: This small book had totally sucked me into its spell. The first half was a delightful if cynical look into misplaced and squandered love. The second half was one of the best and most satisifying thematically-linked collections of short stories I have encountered and caried that theme forward. (The short story form, by the way, usually leaves me wanting more but, save the finale, this collection was very satisfying.)

Why then oh why, did Dan Rhodes choose to end it so brutally and nihilistically? Like others, I was angered and outraged by this deceit, but not for all the same humanitarian reasons. I don't need happy or clean endings to otherwise excellent novels. In the context of a angry and outrageous novel, this might have been okay.

But, Rhodes created an almost whimsical or mystical magic around his tales of failed love and disappointment. Using sly humor and social irony, he had set an expectation. The pages leading up to its ending used this mood to further this expectation. To obnoxiously and violently throw in a last page reversal of mood spoiled the entire experience. Who was his editor, for chrissake!

Instead of being able to share an otherwise fascinating and well-written treasure, I will NEVER EVER recommend it to any of my many literate friends. In fact, I would dissuade any and all from ever allowing themselves to suffer the abuse that Rhodes heaps on his readers in those final pages.

I gave it three stars to recognize the skill and power of the writing which might have otherwise deserved a much higher rating. If you continue to write, Dan Rhodes, respect your readers' ability to get the point without ruining their experience. Shame on you.