Okay, so back to the book reviews. Today, I will be reviewing a book that was introduced to me by an old girlfriend, just around the time that we broke up. It is "Freedom," by Jonathan Franzen. It turned out to be a phenomenal book, although as I was reading it, it occurred to me that she might have recommended it to me not so much only because she thought it was a very good book and that I might enjoy it. The way that she worded it, basically implying that I have to read this book, and the tone that she took, made me feel that she probably felt that I could relate (and possibly learn from?) one of the characters in particular in mind. I am talking about Walter, who in certain, admittedly undeniable ways, did remind me of me. If anything, this was even more the case during the recent second reading of the book.
Whatever her motives for introducing me to the book, I am glad that she did. Having not read anything by Franzen before this book, I instantly became a fan and started to read other things from him. It did not take me long before I was a fan of his.
Now before I go on, as usual, I need to warn everyone that, from here on out, there will be indeed be spoilers. So if you have not read this yet and want to do so, you might want to stop reading now, because there will be spoilers. This is you last warning!
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS
Alright, if you are still here reading this, then I would imagine that either you are already familiar with this story or, if not, that you do not mind the forthcoming spoilers, for whatever the reason. Just please don't say you were not warned.
Rereading my own review was a bit of a relief, because it was not as oblivious and poorly written as I initially feared it would be. However, I barely mentioned Joey, who we see adjusting to life on a college campus during the time of the September 11th attacks. We also see him getting involved in a corrupt business deal with a company that, perhaps not coincidentally, his father is also doing business with. The irony is that while Joey, unlike his father, enters into this dirty business for strictly selfish ambitions, he ultimately redeems himself by giving into his conscience and turning to his father for advice, after years of very thick tensions between them.
Also, I barely mentioned Richard Katz, a punk rocker who is angry and rebellious, but lacks the political focus and sense of purpose that his best friend, Walter, possesses. Walter might not dress as cool and wear his rebelliousness on his sleeve, or go up on stage and go crazy like his friend Katz, but in fact, he is the real rebel in many respects. Katz is, ultimately, a selfish guy who wants to be better than he is. That is why he is so loyal to Walter. Yet, he has always been very attracted to Patty, and the attraction between the two is mutual and lasts through the many years. Ultimately, they give into it, and this sets about a crisis for Walter, and allows him to finally have a relationship with another major character who I did not mention at all, Lolitha, Walter's assistant and much younger love interest. Patty is jealous of her, but almost at times seems to want Walter to go ahead and give into temptation and have an affair with Lolitha in hopes that this will release her of the guilt of having cheated on Walter with Richard. She has kept a sort of diary/manuscript which, when she reunites with Richard years later, she shows to him in hopes of closure between them. Instead, Richard puts it on Walter's desk, effectively forever severing their relationship and breaking Walter and Patty up. The drama and tensions feel real, and are very well done.
In any case, otherwise as already mentioned, my review was not as awful as I had originally imagined. Someday, I should probably combine the two and add some more, in a future reading. But for now, with these extra notes added and the republishing of the original book review for this blogger, it feels like a halfway decent review of the book.
Enjoy!
Here was my original review of the book, from December 24, 2011:
https://charbor74.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-freedom-by-jonathan-franzen.html
This book was recommended to me by an ex-girlfriend. I had never really heard of this author before, but after reading this book, I sure wish I had earlier!
He juggles many different things in this book all at once, and does so very capably, I might add! There are wonderful and believable characters with realistic psychology that draws you in and makes you feel like you actually know them personally. There is romance, as well as intellectual dialogue. There are many references to punk music and to trying to protest the simple and stagnant "go with the flow" and "don't rock the boat" mentality that too often dominates our society, and all of it is packaged in a believable manner.
Walter and Patty are happily married with two children, a boy and a girl. They live in a comfortable home in a quiet, suburban setting, and life appears good on so many levels. Things are not always as they seem to be, however, and we begin to learn the background between them, where we meet Richard, an aspiring punk rocker who respects Walter more than anything and anyone. The feeling is mutual, but what Walter does not know is that Patty is greatly attracted to Richard. It is an attraction that does not simply fade away over time, either, as we learn, and will become a source of friction for all three of them, albeit it in very different ways for each.
Walter has always been overtly active politically, and Richard finds this inspiring, but yet somehow inaccessible in practical application. Patty, in the meantime, is nowhere near as political, and in many respects, is a very typical American girl, wanting to raise a family. Yes, even this proves to be a source of tension, because Walter is hugely into the issue of addressing the problem of overpopulation, and his own role in starting a family runs in the face of his philosophical convictions.
In the meantime, Joey and Jessica, the son and daughter of Walter and Patty, grow up. Jessica becomes daddy's girl, so to speak, while Joey is the apple of mommy's eye. At least, that is, until he essentially separates himself from the family and moves out to the next door neighbors, who happen to be redneck Republicans according to Walter, more or less. Joey takes a much different path, eventually becoming far more financially successful than anyone else in the family circle. But he remains the odd man out, always, and works to exorcise his own demons, struggling to forge a new and ideal identity while trying to escape the limitations of the person he has always been.
There are conflicts and a lot of hurt feelings, but it is ultimately about growing up and growing wiser, learning to accommodate and forgive. It is a book that is relevant on both a political and personal level, and can be both enjoyable and instructive in both capacities. This book is richly endowed with a little something for everybody, although it also is a book that I strongly suspect that most people probably would not "get," at least not fully. Franzen addresses many issues of our age with characters that talk of these issues with varying degrees of seriousness. Yet, he does so in a pretty believable, and certainly entertaining, manner.
This is a very good read by an author who seems to be increasingly appreciated and in the public eye. It is a long read, and not always an easy read, but well worth it, in the end. Highly recommended!
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