Perhaps more interesting than important

REVIEW 1: City of Glass

An interesting PoMo novella. Auster's first novel/second book/first of his 'New York Trilogy', 'City of Glass' is simultaneously a detective novel, an exploration of the author/narrative dynamic, and a treatise on language. I liked parts, loved parts, and finished the book thinking the author had written something perhaps more interesting than important.

My favorite parts were the chapters where Auster (actual author Auster) through the narrator Quinn acting as the detective Auster explored Stillman's book: 'The Garden and the Tower: Early Visions of the New World'. I also enjoyed the chapter where Auster (character Auster) and Quinn (acting as detective Auster) explored Auster's (character Auster) Don Quixote ideas. Those chapters reminded me obliquely (everything in City of Glass is oblique) of Gaddis.

In the end, however, it all seemed like Auster had read Gaddis wanted to write a PoMo novel to reflect the confusing nature of the author/narrator/translator/editor role(s) of 'Don Quixote', set it all in Manhatten, and wanted to make the prose and story fit within the general framework of a detective novel. He pulled it off and it all kinda worked. I'll say more once I finish the next two of the 'New York Trilogy'.

REVIEW 2: Ghosts

An uncanny valley of Gaddis IMHO. 'Ghosts', the second book in Auster's 'New York Trilogy' reminds me what I both like and don't like about MFA writers. Often clever and grammatically precise but they don't say so much. If they were painters their perspective would be perfect and their posters would sell, but the pigment or texture or something between the edges is just missing that undercurrent of something to give a real shit about.


REVIEW 3: The Locked Room

Not much to add that I haven't already written in my reviews of Auster's first two 'New York Trilogy' novels. In 'The Locked Room' Auster dances with the same themes, with slightly different variations. The novellas are more brothers to each other instead of cousins. In a lot of ways he reminds me of an earlier generations' Dave Eggers. There is definitely a lot of talent latent in the guy. He certainly can write, but unlike Fitzgerald who was able to tell a similar themed story in his novels and still provide weight. I just didn't feel the gravity. It was like Camus couldn't really decide whether to kill the Arab, didn't know if he cared or not, so he just walked around killed himself but made the Arab watch.

I don't know. That may not be right. I'll probably just delete this review anyway. Only Otis will read it and I've asked him to delete all my reviews he doesn't like anyway. How do I guarantee this? Well, I could talk about Otis. I could tell you that there are things about author Auster, unrelated to his books I just don't like (who lives in NY Anyway?). He is a bad behaving author (untrue). He keeps sending me his manuscripts and wants me to say nice things about his work (untrue). I don't know. Is Auster married? Maybe, I'll go and console his wife now.

25 people found this helpful

The best audiobook I've heard

I don't blindly scatter 5 star reviews around, but this audiobook gets top marks. I'd heard people talk about this book for years, but never read it. Not everyone was complimentary, but even the detractors conceded that it had a certain elusive narrative quality that set it apart.

I finally bought the audiobook about 18 months ago, and have just listened again to the whole thing, for the 3rd time now.

Art, including literature, and including audiobooks, is totally subjective -- it barely needs saying. So there is no criticism or sneering from me towards anyone who doesn't enjoy this audiobook, and/or this story. But I must say that for me, an audiobook fan, New York Trilogy is the best. The narrative, weaving through reality and delusion, is both thrilling and disturbing, and so evocative of hidden corners of our our own lives. The clincher though is the magnificent narration. I say without hesitation that the world-weary tones of Joe Barrett turns from a very good book into a magnificent audiobook.

21 people found this helpful

This is exceptional fiction. Superb narration.

Auster's New York Trilogy is excellent literature; not for the faint of heart and perhaps not for fans of typical popular fiction. Labeling this work "postmodern detective fiction" does it a certain disservice. Surreal and strange, Auster's three stories blend well but City of Glass is surely the standout. If you like Kafkaesque characters and scenarios, fiction and plot lines which blur and bleed between stories and out of the pages, and dark unsettling cityscapes; Auster's masterpiece will be right up your proverbial alley.

Joe Barrett's gruff detective-style voice was seemingly hand-picked by Auster himself. Great stories, great reading. Highly suggested.

5 people found this helpful

Gripping, thought-provoking, hilarious

I loved this read. The middle story did drag - like repeating the first story without any of the fun stuff. But the first and last stories were fantastic - really genuine and free of many of the usual story-telling conventions that can stifle an author's voice. Also, this is one of the few audiobooks in which the narration is so good I don't think I would have gotten as much out of it if I'd simply read it. So good I gifted the audiobook to a friend.

4 people found this helpful

Starts slow...but gains speed

I would recommend this book but only to a reader with a great deal of patience. The story takes chapter upon chapter to get going. It starts out well, then falls flat, picks up again, then falls flat, then takes off and remains quite interesting. But that occurs in the second part. So if you can survive the uneven-ness of the first part - you should be alright. I wasn't inamoured of the narration either. Well Mr. Barrett has a pleasantly relaxing style - I found it maybe too relaxing and sometimes much drabbly monotone. He was putting me to sleep - or maybe it was the story. Maybe it's not my cup-o-tea.

4 people found this helpful

The biggest waste of words I've ever found

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

if the stories had (a) made sense (b) had some point or purpose (c) been enjoyable to LISTEN to. The dialogue, in particular, was so repetitive in the first story and you can't scan an audiobook! The second story also was really hard to follow auditorialy, "Brown said to White look at Black and call Blue." It was FRUSTRATING to listen to these stories and then, nothing gets revealed or tied up in the end, so I felt like I had wasted my time!

Has The New York Trilogy turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I don't think so. I try to give multiple chances. Now, might it turn me off from other books by this AUTHOR, yes. I think this is just his style and that style just doesn't translate well to an audio book. I would have skimmed the repetitive dialogue in the first story and wanted to be able to turn back pages to try to keep track of all the "colored" characters.

What does Joe Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I did enjoy his voice. Nice, deep and gravely. The women's voices...well, harder to pull off, but he did a good job of that, too.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I"m sorry. I've never been so disappointed in any book or audio book. I have to honestly say no. I truly felt like this was a total waste of my time. I'm struggling to get through the last story and may not finish. I just had to say something.

Any additional comments?

I did listen to the audio sample and it was so different from the actual book. It does illustrate how detailed the narrative story is written (which also does go on and on a bit), but it doesn't include any of the dialogue that was so maddening to listen to.

1 person found this helpful

apparently I'm too normal

I didn't finish the trilogy. I pushed through 1 and gave up on two. I apparently am not intellectual enough because basically I just can't figure out the purpose of this extremely obtuse writing style. I wonder if the rave reviewers were like the characters in The Emperor's New Clothes- they thought that if they didn't get it they were ignorant. well, in my case, ignorance is bliss. this is the first time I have never finished a book- ever! I'm 45 and I read over 50 books a year on average.

1 person found this helpful

Hook, Line, Not a Sinker

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book hooked me at first, and the story line I found interesting completely got left on the sideline as the book progressed. Still time well spent, but not the best time I've spent.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not sure yet

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator's voice was a little to easy to tune out at time.

Do you think The New York Trilogy needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Its a trilogy. No more necessary.

1 person found this helpful

I have read this book cover to back 3 times

I have little idea what happened, but it is powerful and I am losing my sanity

I don’t get it

Everyone raves about this dreck but I don’t understand why. It is just boring and awful