The Angels of Catastrophe: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: English 99b is the pre-requisite for English 101
Review: I enjoy reading - and I will read a book all the way through regardless of quality. This book was a big disappointment. The narrative structure was immature and confusing and the story could have benefited from a good editor, or at least a proofreader. For example, in many paragraphs it was confusing as to which characters point of view was being narrated; so confusing that I began to wonder if there where printing errors in my copy. Secondly, the main character changes from a weak and withdrawn petty criminal to a hip, powerful thug without any explanation or discussion of this change. Third, the author is fascinated with describing pimples and body sores. Finally, it was very unclear why the author is so fascinated by Jewish and Yiddish images and why the main character has an Italian name but is often described, for unclear reasons, as being Jewish. The tangential chapter regarding the protagonist's parents makes no reference to their cultural/religious heritage; if anything it suggests the antithesis of a Jewish background. However, a tangential and pedantic flashback regarding the character's grandfather (pious Russian soldier) does not jibe with the description of the parents (teenage lowlife thieves).
The author's blurb describes him as being an "autodidact" with an "eidetic memory". To this, I can only comment mazel tov and suggest that the author take a junior college writing course and carefully read Charles Bukowski. The story drifted lazily over the pages and petered out very softly, without any particular climax.

Rating:
Summary: English 99b is the pre-requisite for English 101
Review: I enjoy reading - and I will read a book all the way through regardless of quality. This book was a big disappointment. The narrative structure was immature and confusing and the story could have benefited from a good editor, or at least a proofreader. For example, in many paragraphs it was confusing as to which characters point of view was being narrated; so confusing that I began to wonder if there where printing errors in my copy. Secondly, the main character changes from a weak and withdrawn petty criminal to a hip, powerful thug without any explanation or discussion of this change. Third, the author is fascinated with describing pimples and body sores. Finally, it was very unclear why the author is so fascinated by Jewish and Yiddish images and why the main character has an Italian name but is often described, for unclear reasons, as being Jewish. The tangential chapter regarding the protagonist's parents makes no reference to their cultural/religious heritage; if anything it suggests the antithesis of a Jewish background. However, a tangential and pedantic flashback regarding the character's grandfather (pious Russian soldier) does not jibe with the description of the parents (teenage lowlife thieves).
The author's blurb describes him as being an "autodidact" with an "eidetic memory". To this, I can only comment mazel tov and suggest that the author take a junior college writing course and carefully read Charles Bukowski. The story drifted lazily over the pages and petered out very softly, without any particular climax.