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Joe's Reviews > Summerland
Summerland
by Michael Chabon
by Michael Chabon
Imagine Lord of the Rings if the characters stopped every couple days to play baseball.
Working within an amalgamation of Norse, Greek, and Native American mythology as well as American tall tales, Chabon tells a not atypical coming-of-age/quest story tied inextricably to baseball. Baseball, as it turns out, is not only America's pasttime, but also a sacred institution on the other planes of existence.
Ethan, a kid who hates baseball, must learn to love it as he battles his way across the Summerlands and the Winterlands to stop Coyote, (sort of a trickster archetype that has elements of Satan and Loki.)
After being blown away by the Yiddish Policeman's Union and the Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, I wanted to read some more of Chabon's novels. I didn't enjoy Summerland nearly as much as those other novels, but it was nevertheless an engaging read.
Working within an amalgamation of Norse, Greek, and Native American mythology as well as American tall tales, Chabon tells a not atypical coming-of-age/quest story tied inextricably to baseball. Baseball, as it turns out, is not only America's pasttime, but also a sacred institution on the other planes of existence.
Ethan, a kid who hates baseball, must learn to love it as he battles his way across the Summerlands and the Winterlands to stop Coyote, (sort of a trickster archetype that has elements of Satan and Loki.)
After being blown away by the Yiddish Policeman's Union and the Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, I wanted to read some more of Chabon's novels. I didn't enjoy Summerland nearly as much as those other novels, but it was nevertheless an engaging read.
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Mark
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Jan 29, 2008 12:06pm
Apotheosis?
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I read this a couple of years ago, and liked it after I got past the slow start. The infusion of the "La Llorona" story especially tickled me, since I had just read up on the history of that legend, which is at least 500 years old. Not caring much for baseball myself, the main character was particularly appealing.
