April 3, 2008

Book 12: Motherless Brooklyn

Motherless Brooklyn
Jonathan Lethem

Even after considering this book in class, an exercise that usually raises my opinion of a book, this book is still simply mediocre. It has its high points and its low points and definitely shows that Lethem has talent and is comfortable with a film noir, grimy New York City feel. When all of the pieces of the book come together, however, none stands out and shines. Motherless Brooklyn is interesting and mildly engaging but nothing jumps off of the page. It will not lodge itself irresistably in your consciousness, nor will it inspire rage at pretention or sheer inability (neither of which factor in at all). The book in this sense achieves the almost impossible: it simply exists.

Lowpoints of the novel come, unfortunately, with its plot. While Lethem's take on the traditional story of orphans finding a father figure in a brutal world is engaging and interesting, it isn't strikingly original. The fact that four Brooklyn orphans become henchmen for a small-time mobster and generally shady figure is hardly surprising and follows conventions. The plot plods along at a reasonable pace, again continually interesting but never achieving the thrilling feeling of a chase; though the book's first car chase is incredibly well done and creates a page-turning chapter, its more climactic second chase is, again, merely on display. This is the main problem with the novel: though it is, at heart, a mystery story (albeit with a strong emphasis on character rather than plot, which is fine), Motherless Brooklyn simply lacks the intrigue that belongs in the genre. There is nothing wrong with defying conventions or stretching them. However, when a reader encounters a certain type of novel it can't hurt to carefully consider when to break form and strike new territory. The mystery's strongest selling point, its incredible tension and continual turning of the screws, is missing by the end of the book. Even when Lethem does include a genre-satisfying piece (more specifically, the wrap-up that explains all), it is befuddled and doesn't clarify the events of the story. Life is complicated, but such a simple and, let's face it, predictable outcome at least warrants a clear explanation.

All this aside, the novel does provide some excellent insights into the human condition; its strong sense of character is almost unrivalled to the point where it feels unfair to judge the book's plot at all negatively. Lethem's main chracter, Lionel, is living with Tourette's syndrome and, even better, he narrates. The glimpses we get into Lionel's stuttering, stream-of-conciousness mind (both through his narration of thoughts and out loud) are illuminating and familiar to those whose brains have ever made rapid, almost untraceable connections. Lionel gets a bit corny when talking about his relationship to Frank Minna, his father figure, but he is always engaging and is endlessly fascinating. Despite the fact that he is cut almost whole from stereotypical cloth, he comes alive and piques interest in his story. His words seem real and his outbursts come naturally.

What's unfortunate about the book is that the story of Lionel's journey and detective work doesn't do justice to his account thereof. His syndrome defines him, helps him, and hinders him, but though it is seamlessly integrated into the story, the plot remains stagnant. Twists can be seen from miles away and never reach toward satisfying conclusions. This is terribly unfortunate coming out of a writer with such undeniable talent. Brooklyn comes alive in this novel so much that I feel I have been there even without visiting. The supporting cast, though relegated to flat background in most cases, are at least interesting for their expected and unexpected reactions to Lionel- stereotypical or not, they allow the reader to experience Lionel from the outside, at least temporarily. Lionel is one of the most original narrators I have yet encountered. Rather than sentimentalizing Lionel's challenges, Lethem allows him to simply live with them, an illuminating experience that makes the novel worth reading despite its lack of excitement. Motherless Brooklyn is ultimately a novel comprised of individually excellent parts that never quite cohere into a whole. It is neither a must-read nor a waste of time. For a few hours of entertainment and perhaps some moments of self-reflection, readers can do much worse.

Grade: B

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