drscott | Book Notes: The Yiddish Policeman's Union and others

Finished The Yiddish Policeman's Union last night. Reaction in short, since it didn't grab me enough to do a full review: it's no Kavalier & Clay. The alternative history aspect (Jews lose their toehold in Palestine in 1948, are resettled in Sitka, Alaska, which becomes a foggy sort of Yiddish Manhattan-north) is fun, the murder mystery is compelling, the writing is good, but something doesn't quite gel. As usual with Chabon, there's a critical gay angle (the failed Messiah/murder victim is gay), and the weaving together of chess, Yiddish-isms, and pseudo-Raymond Chandler are tasty ingredients in a stew that doesn't much satisfy. Unlike K&C, I feel no urge to tell others to read it.

Finished the Dark Materials trilogy a few weeks ago. With the movie about to come out, I hope it's a hit, so the more adult second and third books get filmed also. It's fascinating how the conventions of fantasy have been turned on their head in this, sort of an answer to C. S. Lewis; based on plausible science of alternative universes, creating a real Kingdom of Heaven which is ultimately evil, making rebels against God the good guys and casting it all into a dark children's novel. I like this guy! Let's hope the fundies get incensed and come out against the books, guaranteeing kids will read them.

Interesting link between the two: both mention seeing mirages of cities and landscapes in the Arctic sky: instances of Fata Morgana.

Next up: my ex-doctor's followup to The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns.