I finished reading The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and my friend Erin’s manuscript yesterday. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was okay. I think that it was incredibly well written. Michael Chabon is talented. I didn’t really like the characters and this makes it hard to love the book. There are plenty of other books where the characters are flawed and unlikable but somewhere you usually find some characteristic that endears you to them (The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch is one that immediately comes to mind.) This doesn’t happen here. The story follows a young adult boy through his summer in Pittsburgh. He’s tormented by familial history and has picked up a new set of friends. Each of these people is rich in character, a few are likeable, but overall I can’t quite figure out how they mesh together. I think Chabon plays with characters a bit, trying to bring out qualities in each that somehow mirror the protagonist. I’m not quite sure he pulls it off here and well as he does in The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Each of these characters challenges Art, the protagonist, but not in a way that is clear. All in all, a good read but I don’t know if I’d recommend it. If you’re a Chabon fan, it’s worth picking up.

Here’s an interview with Chabon on powells.com.

Erin’s manuscript is impressive, her first novel. She’s got a talent for writing in a clear and concise manner. I’m looking forward to talking with you about it all Erin!

I needed a quick read before my bookclub meets next week to pick our next selection. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen has been in the bookcase for awhile. It’s a book geared toward the 10-12 age range. Just about exactly what I can handle right now. I haven’t read Hiaasen and this may be a good start.