Samaritan

Rating:
Summary: Jersey Fables
Review: What is about my state that produces good urban noir? Seriously, I think the Garden State is really making an attempt to steal the smoky literary world of people like James Ellroy away from California and bringing it to the land of the turnpike. There does seem to be a spate of books, usually hard edged gritty dramas based in this packed little state, pointing to an odd fascination with it. Of course, the Sopranos has helped as well. Author Richard Price paints a dark but fascinating picture of northern New Jersey and its often dreary urban environs. Frankly, I felt the story itself was a bit weak, but Prices atmospheric writing style and the world it describes really bring the whole book along.

The story centers on Ray Mitchell, a native of Dempsey NJ. The fictional town is like a smaller version of Newark, with a feeling of loss and better days past. Mitchell grew up on the hard streets, but managed, through a combination of skill and good luck, to become a fairly successful TV writer in Hollywood. He returns to his hometown to find it, and some of his old friends, in an even worse position than before. Ray does not run, he does not hide, he reaches out with his considerable amount of money and his intellect and tries to help the various downtrodden, be they students or old acquaintances. And so his problems begin.

Ray is eventually found beaten almost to death, and he is close lipped about his attacker. Enter long time Dempsey native and Ray's childhood friend, Detective Nerese Ammons. She is near retirement, but quickly gets sucked into the hunt for Ray's attacker. Nerese is the stories best character, I found her very interesting and likeable. Slowly but surely, she begins to search through the life of Ray, and finds several intriguing developments that lead her down various avenues of investigation. The ending, though, felt a bit contrived and lacked a real force behind it.

Price tells the story through an interesting narrative device that I enjoyed, he started the storyline before and after, then meets in the middle. I thought it was a pretty cool trick, and adds to the complexities of the storyline. The plot, however, is a bit weak, and it drags. This book probably could have been around 75 pages shorter, with some long character narratives that do not really add to the story. Not enough happens, in short. The meaning is there, but even that rang a little hollow. The highpoint of the novel is the writing itself, which is very fun to read, as it has a certain street elegance to it that I really enjoyed. All in all, it's a fairly entertaining read, with some minor deficiencies.

Rating:
Summary: Thanks!
Review: While I must reserve a 5 star rating for books like "Clockers", this one was excellent.
Story of a guy who probably is a good guy, but has a problem with wanting people to see him as a savior. He does all his good deeds with an audience.
The story is excellently told in the form of a mystery (like "Clockers") and weaves easily between the past and the present.

Rating:
Summary: good Samaritan
Review: With compassion and insight Richard Price has fashioned a contemporary whodunit around the adage "no good deed goes unpunished". After returning to his hometown, an ex-TV writer is beaten within an inch of his life and refuses to reveal the identity of his assailant. Through flashbacks we learn of his attempt to reestablish a relationship with his daughter, the return to his inner city high school to teach creative writing and about the generous gifts of cash he bestows on various residents of a housing project. "Samaritan" is Price's third consecutive novel - following "Clockers" & "Freedomland" - to be set in the fictional town of Dempsy, N.J. and once again he gives us a small human drama presented on a large urban scale. Race and crime are familiar waters for Price and he navigates them well, but that's not to say this is a flawless novel - it isn't. The sexual relationship that occurs is perplexing to say the least, the childhood back-story is too coincidental and some of the classroom scenes are reminiscent of "Welcome Back Kotter". All that aside, "Samaritan" is still a compulsive page turner, sweet and riveting with a climax that's quietly powerful. Definitely worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: Samaritan?
Review: Ya' know, if it were me I'd just say who did it and be done with it already. Then if it were me there'd be no story. This is why we have people like Richard Price to engage people like me in a story like this.

I sincerely don't understand the thing with white-guilt. I'm black. As I'm reading this novel I'm opening myself to understand. I find myself getting involved with the characters and seeing how "accurate" the black ones are. However, I'm not surprised because I've also read CLOCKERS and I remember how impressed I was with the depiction of a young black character. Visions of LAW & ORDER are popping up in my head. I enjoy this TV drama. I'm hoping with all hope that this will be more than just an episode of this show. I'm half-hoping that Ray and Nerese will find a way to have a love relationship. I'm pleased and a little skeptical when Price approaches the subject but disappointed when he abandons the idea. I'm still hoping to understand white-guilt or understand if this is even about that.

When I'm all excited and all engrossed with Ray Mitchell the crime victim, Detective Nerese Ammons, Ray's daughter Ruby, Carla the 'round-the-way girl from Ray's childhood, Danielle the girlfriend and everybody and the old neighborhood and even Ruby's collection of the old neighborhood stories and Ray's TV writing career and everything, and I'm wondering what could possibly be the conclusion of this crime. I'm a little let down when the conclusion appears to be someone's little explained need to seek approval. I just need more reason why.

Rating:
Summary: Samaritan?
Review: Ya' know, if it were me I'd just say who did it and be done with it already. Then if it were me there'd be no story. This is why we have people like Richard Price to engage people like me in a story like this.

I sincerely don't understand the thing with white-guilt. I'm black. As I'm reading this novel I'm opening myself to understand. I find myself getting involved with the characters and seeing how "accurate" the black ones are. However, I'm not surprised because I've also read CLOCKERS and I remember how impressed I was with the depiction of a young black character. Visions of LAW & ORDER are popping up in my head. I enjoy this TV drama. I'm hoping with all hope that this will be more than just an episode of this show. I'm half-hoping that Ray and Nerese will find a way to have a love relationship. I'm pleased and a little skeptical when Price approaches the subject but disappointed when he abandons the idea. I'm still hoping to understand white-guilt or understand if this is even about that.

When I'm all excited and all engrossed with Ray Mitchell the crime victim, Detective Nerese Ammons, Ray's daughter Ruby, Carla the 'round-the-way girl from Ray's childhood, Danielle the girlfriend and everybody and the old neighborhood and even Ruby's collection of the old neighborhood stories and Ray's TV writing career and everything, and I'm wondering what could possibly be the conclusion of this crime. I'm a little let down when the conclusion appears to be someone's little explained need to seek approval. I just need more reason why.