Metterò in fila due pensieri coerenti prima o poi ma per ora

Phew, I'm finally done with the 24 hrs it took to listen to this audiobook. No idea how to rate it. I'm not even sure how/what to feel about it, I'm very conflicted about it.

I know Franzen is a polarising writer. Pretty much every review one reads states something about the author's personality and/or likeability.

Purity was my first Franzen novel.

There are a lot of reviews of this novel, I'll just note down a few impressions:

- Purity drained my energy. Somehow, I persevered to the finish line.
- Most of the characters are very unlikeable; some are very disturbed individuals, but one, in particular, takes the cake: Andreas Wulf, an East German, Asange-like sociopath, with a Wikileaks-like breaking news internet domain. He's a psycho, chronic masturbator and womaniser, with a penchant for very young women and a mother complex. Come to think of it, all characters have mother issues.
- There are long, convoluted life-stories for the main characters, which I guess should endear them to us a little bit more, since we get to know them so intimately, too intimately, in all their ugliness, including their most secret thoughts, sexual fantasies and proclivities. And, man, I've read erotica that had less sex than this novel.
- There are many threads in this novel: relationships between parents and children, especially between mothers and children; marital unions; the internet; agriculture and animal welfare, fame; Communist East Germany; money; liberalism; and many others.
- As many other reviewers seem to have noted, Franzen comes out as quite the misogynist, given his description of women, who are either extremely attractive and/or young or, if they're not so, they're somewhere in the frumpy, invisible, unattractive and insignificant realm.
- Sure, the men are no saints or anything like that, but somehow, their issues seem to be caused by women, be it their mothers or lovers. Poor, innocent, delicate men!
- Without a doubt, there are some very well articulated ideas, a lot of smart writing. I love smart, intellectual anything, so why is it I didn't love this novel? It's not because the characters were unlikeable. I know! It's because it was soulless and bitter, and quite depressing. That's why.

So, for now, I'll rate this 3 stars.

NB: The audiobook was excellent!

Between the time I excitedly pre-ordered Franzen's new book and when it arrived, I read the review in the NYTimes. The review seemed to me at the time to compare Purity unfavorably with The Corrections an Freedom - Franzen's earlier novels. Though I enjoyed both I found the latter too preachy and not as entertaining as The Corrections. So as I started Purity, some of the initial anticipation and excitement had dissipated. Once started to read, however, I was immediately drawn in and Franzen did not disappoint.

His prose is clear and his humor dark and dry. He is a master storyteller and as this rather complex story unfolds, the reader is given just enough to think she gets it. Only to be dealt another altered version as the narrative viewpoint, and even the shift to first person and back to third, changes over the course of the novel. Franzen fans will enjoy the rich detail and characters who slowly and plausibly come to life on the pages of this book. Not all the characters are likable at all, but the author has the talent and the temerity to bare them to us with all their faults first, leaving us (daring us?) to judge them, and then forcing his reader to reconsider once he lays out all the facts. The character you despise, merits sympathy and one you have tenderness for may disgust by the end. Franzen seems to manage this with such style that one almost can imagine him smiling at our gullibility.

I would have given the book five stars if not for the overly sentimental ending which I thought contrived. Yet, even this criticism is mild as the shear joy of reading Franzen was worth a couple of sappy pages at the end.

Recommmended.

Full disclosure, I'm not a big Franzen fan. I enjoyed The Corrections but it wasn't a top five for me that year. I think he can be pretentious and very self-aware, and Purity seems to reflect that for me. Lots of lots of pages here, embellishing what is essentially a romance novel plot about Purity discovering the truth about herself. I just felt like the book kept yelling at me, saying "take me seriously!!" Sorry, but I can't go to that level.

4.5 ⭐️

There's no questioning the incredibly writing even if the story is totally contrived a la Valentines Day the movie. But in this case, there's a catalyst for the stories converging that is convincing if not believable - it's fiction after all...

I really liked this book, even though I enjoyed Freedom much more. The characters in this book come across as exaggerations much more than the characters in The Corrections or Freedom. That being said, I was still able to identify with them very easily, as is typical of Jonathan Franzen's work.

This book contains one of the most accurate portrayals of an unhealthy relationship/marriage I have ever read. Although this was an amazing accomplishment, it was painful for me as a reader because it was so accurate.

Got about 25% in and quit. Horribly unsympathetic characters. Uninteresting plot. Pretentious writing style. I just don't get the preoccupation with Franzen. I thought _Freedom_ was ok, but just. The other two books? Ech. I clearly do not like this author's work, so I'm done now.

I do love the way he develops characters and remarks on current ways of society. Corrections is still my all-time favourite of his though.