Customer Reviews

Hall of Mirrors

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm a fan of New Orleans literature in general, and this is my favorite NO novel. Stone captures the Quarter like no one else can, and wrings the stink of misery from the cobblestones.

Those of us who didn't live during Southern desegregation are terrified of scenes like the ones in this novel. We see quasi-fascist racists, who are contrasted only with Rheinhardt (who works for them) and his neighbor Bogdanovich who can only smoke pot and utter meaningless exclamations. If America was really Stone's nightmare vision, my parents' generation should've been happy Vietnam was distracting them from the slow disintegration of the USA.

Read it. You'll quote it, I promise. You'll read passages to your friends.

Along with Walker Percy's "The Moviegoer" this is one of the best written books I've ever read about New Orleans. However, while Percy concentrates on a slowly rotting family from old-society New Orleans, Stone concentrates on a more modern, touristy, sordid side of the city - one that will probably seem more familiar to those who have visited or lived in the city.

Some of the other reviews below mention that they found this book "overwritten" but I didn't really find that to be the case. I thought that Stone struck an excellent balance between detail and plot. The characters were fascinating, sometimes terrifying, and often hilarious.

Interestingly, I was not nearly as drawn to the main characters as I was to the fascinating side characters, especially the British pseudo-preacher who is definitely one of the most memorable characters I've read in years.

An excellent book, artfully written, and brilliantly executed.

I've read (and liked) all of Robert Stone's books and even though this one is more sprawling and overwritten than the others (after all, it was his first novel and it feels like he wanted to include EVERYTHING about America he could think of), it's my personal favorite. I read it during some nasty days in New York and it really got into my psyche. For a time, I was even making decisions (like whether I should have another drink or go home to bed and safety) by asking "What would Reinhardt [the main character] do in these circumstances?" -- and if you're familiar with Reinhardt, you know what a bad idea that was. It's sometimes scary and sometimes depressing and really, really funny. The sequence where Reinhardt smokes dope with his neighbors and then he and Bogdanovich walk to the laundry is one of the greatest in all literature. Most people I've recommended this novel to didn't get through it, but they all admitted it's beautifully written. Maybe not a book for everyone, but I loved it!

This book is as wise and penetrating today as when it was written. In this age of predatory capitalists aligned with the Christian right, Stone's corrupt evangelists and attorneys come alive again in New Orleans. Amid this corruption, broken people try to live, love and survive.

Stone's language is poetically compressed, and his range of imagination uncovers detail and image that lesser writers would never discover. It is astonishing that this is a first novel. It is truly a "Great American Novel" on par with anything Faulkner ever wrote. If we did not live in an age of cultural lobotomy, he would certainly get the attention that he deserves.

How often do we read something that leaves us changed? Not often. Read this book if you want to go home to the best part of yourself.

This book consumes the reader with its ideas and its poetics. It is Apocolyptic literary fireworks, man. Morgan Rainey, the warped Jehovah. Rhienhardt, the suffering Judas. Geraldine, the sacrificial Virgin whore. New Orleans tranformed into a Dantean Inferno, a Boschian landscape of demonic avian fascists, lecherous, dragon like, regal homosexuals like Lester Clotho, shimmering toothed Hollywood vagabonds and ice-evil Capitalists with frozen souls. This book is pure inspiriational genius. A 60's morality tale that reads like an insane, surreal masterpiece hybrid of Conrad's & Chandler's novels.

I've read (and liked) all of Robert Stone's books and even though this one is more sprawling and overwritten than the others (after all, it was his first novel and it feels like he wanted to include EVERYTHING about America he could think of), it's my personal favorite. I read it during some nasty days in New York and it really got into my psyche. For a time, I was even making decisions (like whether I should have another drink or go home to bed and safety) by asking "What would Reinhardt [the main character] do in these circumstances?" -- and if you're familiar with Reinhardt, you know what bad judgement that was! It's sometimes scary and sometimes depressing and really, really funny. The sequence where Reinhardt smokes dope with his neighbors and then he and Bogdanovich walk to the laundry is one of the greatest in all literature. Most people I've recommended this novel to didn't get through it, but they all admitted it's beautifully written. Maybe not a book for everyone, but I loved it!

This book consumes the reader with its ideas and its poetics. It is Apocolyptic literary fireworks, man. Morgan Rainey, the warped Jehovah. Rhienhardt, the suffering Judas. Geraldine, the sacrificial Virgin whore. New Orleans tranformed into a Dantean Inferno, a Boschian landscape of demonic avian fascists, lecherous, dragon like, regal homosexuals like Lester Clotho, shimmering toothed Hollywood vagabonds and ice-evil Capitalists with frozen souls. This book is pure inspiriational genius. A 60's morality tale that reads like an insane, surreal masterpiece hybrid of Conrad's & Chandler's novels.

stone's powerful first novel is a characteristic melange of right-wingers, political intrigue and paranoia, drugs, poverty and a deeply spiritual yearning. it is as relevant today as when it was written more than 30 years ago, a testament to stone's vision.

what is most captivating is his dazzling writing, intense spiritual vision, powerful dialog and deep insights. the evocation of new orleans is accurate and immersive. as with future stone novels, the reader himself may feel like they are in a hall of mirrors as they try to puzzle it all out, but this is part of the challenge Stone throws out to his audience.

one of the most powerful and important american writers of the last 50 years.

Robert Stone is a gifted writer. I have read three novels by Stone. "A Flag for Sunrise", "Dog Soldiers" and "Hall of Mirrors". "A Flag for Sunrise" is my favorite but the other two are close behind.

Stone's main characters are primarily extremely disillusioned people. Alchoholics,drug addicts,sociopaths--or combinations of these things. But fundamentally they are disatisfied with their lives. The way Stone describes the alchohol and drug trips--and the disillusionment of his characters--makes one wonder if perhaps,he has been there himself.

It seems obvious that Stone's writer's voice resonates with the style of Hemmingway and Graham Greene--and draws deeply from the themes of Greene and Hemmingway. Most assuredly he has chosen very gifted writers to empathsize with.

I definitely recommend all three of these novels. Perhaps beginning with "A Hall of Mirrors" and following it up with "Dog Soldiers" and then finishing with my personal favorite "A Flag for Sunrise" Stone will not disappoint you. He is an incredibly gifted writer.

This novel is more topical than ever in today's political enviroment . Substitute Fox News for WUSA , or how about viewing a two-bit alcoholic DJ like Reinhardt as a potential Glen Beck . Stone was a prophet!