false 4 0 false false Thu Nov 12 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Jul 04 20:00:43 -0700 2009 Thu Nov 12 12:17:16 -0800 2009
This novel has been criticized for being too ambitious - too many characters, too many story lines, etc. But I think it's sad that ambition is something she would be criticized for as I think it's something she should be applauded for. A Fortunate Age was large in scope, it was broad and dealt with so many characters and so many stories and did, on a grand, level succeed as a portrait of my generation and some of our struggles - particularly in her setting of New York City. I do have to admit, though, that I've grown a tad weary of the "New York is the most wonderful, complicated, interesting place in the world" novel - I've mentioned that before in my reviews, mostly because I don't agree with that sentiment. But there is much in Rakoff's novel that is universal for those of us who moved to small towns, or other cities, or wherever.

This novel was slow starting to me; I felt a bit lost at sea in it initially - though perhaps that was the way the characters were all feeling - but it took me awhile to get into it. Still, this is a complaint nowadays - no one is patient enough for novels anymore. And, I am really glad that I stayed with the book because it really ended up grabbing me and making me think and making me care about these people. I related to many of them and was certainly interested in all of them. And like any ensemble piece, I had my favorites and those I wish she'd spent less time on (but that's just because I would have liked an entire novel on Sadie - I loved her so much!) But I guess that would have been a small novel and that's not what the author wanted to do.

Ultimately, I know how hard it is to write a first novel and I really think Rakoff is an author to watch - I look forward to reading anything else of hers. ]]>