Moon Palace (Contemporary American Fiction)

A beautifully written and complex story. Takes some time to get into, but worth the effort for literary fans. One of my favorite authors!

A small cast of characters in this novel, searching for their identity, seeking to find who they are with mixed success. These are characters I can believe in, flaws and all. They look for love and connection, a place to belong, but are unable to fully accept what they find. This book isn't up to the brilliant creativity of two of his other novels, 4321 and New York Trilogy, but it's still very good. The central point of the story is a most unlikely coincidence, but without coincidences we wouldn't have much fiction to read. All in all, an exceptional novel.

The beginning was odd enough to be interesting but as the pages passed I picked up my reading pace to the point of skimming. Then I would get hooked again. Overall somewhat interesting but not enough to heartily recommend. Missing a point or purpose.

Auster is a master at depicting the lowest level of the human condition. He does so here again, as he did in his non-fiction book, "Hand to Mouth." Auster understands penury and desolation as only those who have been there do. This understanding is truly because he has been there himself; and speaks from personal experience.The book is one of redemption. Can one who has sunk to the level of sleeping on the ground in Central Park and eating other people's garbage lift themselves back up to a normal or even successful life? The answer to the question is illustrated by Auster along with his other grand theme of "Coincidence."Auster actually exaggerates coincidence in his book, when he connects 3 characters through accidents of birth. All three of them are blood relatives and none of them knew this fact. All three of them found each other purely through coincidental means. For this to happen randomly is so improbably it would be ridiculous to try to calculate it. But Auster makes it seem almost a natural event, one that had to occur with surety.Ultimately, Auster leaves us in a place that is not perfect, much more realistic, and not horrible. It is a place more or less familiar to us. It is a place more or less like real life. The book is Auster in a great expository period and it is recommended to ALL readers.

...but many readers like that kind of thing.I hate giving less than 5 stars because I have so much love and respect for successful writers like this one.For me, though, the main character in this story is a very imaginative, confused and a depressed loser and his problems, while quite colorful, do not add up to a tale I can care about.Onward. The choices for great books yet to be read seems boundless...

I love this book. I follow the writings of this great american author. The adventures of the young protagonist takes us through many chapters of american history until our times with stories full of adventure and tender moments . The main character , young Fogg and his way of life teaches us the conflicts of a boy with a very difficult life and how he pulls off to take control and mainly being true to himself.I recommend this reading.

I am only halfway through, but unless the main character/narrator ends up going on a killing spree I don't' see changing my opinion.I will write more when done, but I just wanted to put down some initial impressions. The narrator is someone with whom I feel kinship. His experiences and how he interacts with the world reminds me very much of a young, college-age SW Coyote.

I have been aching for a book so beautifully written. I ate it up, every word, even highlighting some of the deep philosophical points that I thought I just couldn't part with. The characters are magnificent but I do have my favorite (Effing). The main character is tiresome with his self pity and stubbornness but you grow to understand him more and he grows on you like an old friend with all the flaws. I didn't think I would be a fan of stories where "everything is connected" but its so unpredictable and mesmerizing. I can't wait to read more of this authors work.