Customer Reviews

CLOSING ARGUMENTS CL

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a powerfully written book, centered around a murder trial, but also driven by the personal disintegration of a defense lawyer, Mark Brennan. A former Vietnam Vet, he flashes back continuously to war experiences. A married father of two deeply troubled children, Mark's wife Rochelle tries to pull their crumbling twenty year marriage together by building a Vietnam War Memorial in their town. The whole family has so much difficulty comunicating to eachother, that their encounters seem almost mute. Mark, in a desperate attempt to define himself, takes on the case of a woman charged with murder during "rough sex". Perhaps inevitably, he becomes involved with this woman sexually. In an effort to understand the nature of the murder, exploring the consequences when people play with limits, he becomes emeshed with her story, blending in his own childhood abuse. The story finally becomes a lonely man's explanation to his wife of his tattered emotional life. This book is not easy to read, but the protagonist flays himself before the reader, making no apologies, expecting no forgiveness.

I have just recently become a fan of Frederick Busch. This book was very disturbing and not easily forgotten. It hung on with me for several days. Mr. Busch is not a writer to take lightly.

He has a unique understanding of human behavior. His writing style is clean, like the cut of a knife.

This is not a comfortable book. You are left with no warm fuzzy feelings. So if you want a neat, satisfactory ending, you won't get it. But if, on the other hand, your willing to experience the miasma of the dark side, then this is for you.

This was a totally engrossing book. The chapters were short but the effect was long-lasting. Nowhere have I read a more brutal/brilliant account of the American male psyche. This book will leave you thinking about bigger issues long after you've put the book down. (Can you tell that I kind of liked this books?)

I bought this book on the basis of the title Closing Arguments and the hype "a superb piece of courtroom drama.." This book is neither. It has little, if anything to do with action in the courtroom and the "closing arguments" leave more questions than answers.

That being said, this book is an amazing look into the pysche of one rather disturbed dysfunctional male, who happens to be an attorney. However, that is the only thing about his life that is real--nothing else is. ... In fact, his own past is somehow mired in the dark side of abuse, betrayal, and destruction.

While his wife, Schelle, tries to help him deal with a past she neither knows nor understands(by dedicating a Vietnam Memorial in their hometown), Marcus chooses another remedy. He decides to exorcise his demons with the help of his current client, herself a sexually dysfunctional mess. His plan is to leave his family the "Closing Arguments" and his bloody corpse. It is the only way that he can see to extricate himself from the lifetime of lies that he has foisted upon his family, himself, and the community.

I must say, I was put off by all the sexual exploitation that occurred between Marcus and his client. It was only after I had completed the book and rethought the plot, that I realized it is indeed a finely crafted novel. I don't think I'd want too many more of these in a row though, its very dark and disturbing. But, in the final anaylis, it's worth the read. I will try anothr Busch novel before I make any final decisions on whether his writing style is something I want to spend a lot of time on.

I read this book based upon a recommendation in "Book Lust" (compendium of recommended reads) and it sounded interesting. It WAS interesting, although the style left me a little jumpy for the first half of the book. I also could not figure out how or why the protagonist got involved with his defendant, but I won't say more. It must have been good since it had me thinking for a long while, but I have read much better stories. It was disturbing, and not entirely unforgettable.