Stu’s Reviews
Genre: Novel
Grade B-
Notable People: John Irving
Title: Avenue of Mysteries
Review: I had this book for six months before I read it- waiting to savor my 30 year relationship with Irving’s books. Alas, it was not to be….this was a struggle to get through and literally took me weeks and weeks. There is no question that Irving is a brilliant writer, and a legend of his generation. But, he has gotten carried away here with way too much symbolism, religiosity and ruminations….with very little real relationships or action taking place. It was very depressing, and obsessed with death as a theme, without the usual Irving caricature of such events. Almost no likeable charters, an those that are…..die. Way to heady for most people to be interested in….and I missed the bears, Vienna, wrestling and all the warmly expected themes of 30 years of writing. Where is GARP when we need him?