Customer Reviews

Third and Indiana: A Novel

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The plot of this book almost doesn't matter. What does matter is the beauty of the language--beautiful writing in it's most sublime form: the reader is immersed in the world of the book.

As another reviewer stated, the usage and structure is a little unusual, but once the reader becomes accustomed to the unique style it becomes transparent. We are on the streets of Philadelphia. We are in the minds of the characters.

What more could you possibly want in a novel?

This dark novel of the Philadelphia streets was not my first choice for vacation reading, but a fellow teacher whose judgment I respected suggested I read it. The writing is powerful and the street dialogue uncanny, as Lopez takes us through the darkness of drug dealing and violence with his unlikely 14 year old artist bathed in light. I've recommended it to all my friends, fellow teachers and students. Not only is it beautifully and compelling written, it's one hell of a good story.

Steve Lopez has a powerful voice, and "Third and Indiana" presents us with two characters, Gabriel and Eddie, who we won't soon forget. The scene near the beginning, when Eddie's flip chairs fly off the back of his truck on the expressway, is one of the funniest passages I've ever read. And his friendship with Gabriel, the sonless father and the fatherless son, is touching, but never maudlin--and always believable. Gabriel himself is someone we can completely believe, and like all great characters, he seems vaguely familiar to us, yet we can't remember where we met him before. An outstanding novel

I recently attended a graduate class and heard this novel being discussed by high school teachers. Though the content and language are not appropriate for me (el ed), I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a consistently engaging read. I also saw many levels in the characters, and loved the foreshadowing and imagery. We live about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia and I was curious to see how much truth to real life the text was. I saw some reviews that claimed the book portrayed violence to an extreme, not surfacing the goodness of the city. Local news broadcasts reveal deaths and muggings daily. So, the reasons for the violence may not be the same as in the book, but I suspect it's not too far from the truth. For me, the goodness and beauty of the city developed through the characters. In reality, I would love to see someone do the bodies on the streets, every big city needs a wake-up call for peace and nonviolence, and sometimes nothing says that better than a visual. This is a book I highly recommend and will read again.

Absolutely the way it is. Lopez fused a reporter's eye with a novelists' soul and artistry with no small success. Somewhat awkward stylistically- it feels like a new form- but very slightly diminshed. This is a page turner, a shocker and a fine story.
Realistic art and tragedy- a slam dunk.

Steve Lopez has a straightforward storytelling style that manages to come up with interesting metaphors, images, and symbols without going overboard as too many contemporary literary writers do. The dialogue is accurate and the characters are truthful, and the story is riveting. Other 'hip' writers like Jonathan Lathem or Rick Moody have been acclaimed for their baroque, hyperrealist style that is supposed to awe the reader into something like a 'wow, that is SO original and unique.' But the minutae of everday life these more 'acclaimed' writers weave into their stories can get downright boring. I mean who needs to read a two-page description of a 10-year old examining the cracks in a sidewalk square in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn (that's the sort of stuff I did as a kid, but if someone found the process interesting, I'd tell him or her to get a life). Unlike such neo-baroque ventures, Third & Indiana places basic situation, interaction, struggle, tragedy and character--first: to give the reader time to consider not just the writing but the story. But since the literati get a bang out of arcana and cleverness, books such as this one will not get the credit they deserve for a long time.

this is one of my all time favorite books. the story is so engaging and it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, ranging from pure laughter to genuine tears. the writing is so detailed and accurate, i swear you don't read this book - you see it. the images are simply etched in your mind. all the characters are rounded real people, each with his/her own unique personality and motives. you feel all of them, you relate to them, and you carry them with you long after you finish reading this book. Lopez doesn't adorn nor judge his characters; he tells it like it is, and that's what makes this book so intense and whole. an extraordinary work.

I admit I am not an intellectually well read person, but I have never been so moved by a novel. I am a transplant to Philly and have lived here for a decade. I will never forget this book. By the time it ended, I felt I was living in this world. It made me realize the importance of our children in this world and what we should do to protect their vulnerabilty. It was an eye opener for me to see how easy it is to make a fatal wrong turn. This book will wake you up to reality in our cities. Months after I have read this novel, I still have moments of reflection when I am near this part of town. I wonder how many other children are in the same shoes as Gabriel. Thank you Steve Lopez for this experience.

This is just a great story with characters you will never forget and told with a genius for dialogue and place. An excellent debut novel. I couldn't put it down and at the end I didn't want it to end. Lopez captures perfectly the essence of life in the "Badlands" and South Philly -- and it was great to read a story set in a city that I know and love. Read this book; you won't regret it.

Steve Lopez paints the most accurate picture of Philadelphia's Kensington section I have ever read. There is no way to candy-coat the truth, but you can depict it with truth, in hopes of bringing some sensativity to the issues. Lopez's portraits are tight and clear. If anyone reading this story is not moved by Ofelia Santoro's search for her son, night after night, I don't know what that person would be affected by. Equally compelling are all of the portrayals of the characters in the story. I, unfortuately, know many of the families of Kensington in circumstances like the Santoros-- and worse! This book is certainly Pulitzer material.