Customer Reviews

Malcolm

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

 

 

Purdy's novel "Malcolm" is a humorous journey about a young boy found by an astrologer on a park bench. The story is written mainly through Malcolm's interaction with the characters he meets through the astrologer (Mr. Cox). But enough plot summery, from the opening paragraphs one sees Purdy's gift for a sort of heightened clarity that he writes with, which, when pulled together with the dialog between the rather inept and hilarious characters offers a unique experience.
The novel is written in a more naturalist tone (think a modern Dickens) but don't let that fool you, Purdy is a gifted writer, with an amazing imagination, and excellent sense of irony. the reason i say it is not for all of you is that if you are looking for "ground-breaking" or "experimental" literature, or if you find you get bored when not being assaulted by an author you shouldn't buy it. If you have heard of or enjoy writers like Thomas Berger or Walker Percy then James Purdy might just be up your alley.

Bottom Line: This book will appeal mostly to those with an established enjoyment of early American Post-Modernist writing.

When I rated this book, I was tempted to give it two stars. All the hype about the book makes one curious enough to read on through to the end! However, after reflection, I regretted that I had to give it any star at all. Lamentably, that option is unavailable!
I thought this book was dreadful. I did not find it funny. It was more like nonesense. Inexplicable situation after inexplicable situation follows the boy on the bench,(Malcolm), throughout the book. The author never bothers to give a reasonable explanation about anything. I kept thinking that I would eventually discover some type of deep symbolism through further reading of the text, but to tell you the truth, I never found any. Like most intellectual snobs, I get disgusted when I waste my time reading inane works which end stupidly, and this is it. Don't succumb to that hoopla about "a timeless classic". "Malcolm" is no Holden Caulfield. It's silliness is more like something from Woody Allen. I wouldn't recommend it at all.