South of Broad
Ratings8
Average rating3.8
I'm finding this book extremely hard to get into. I finally gave up, but then a couple of people I know said it's worth another try. One of them loved it. One of them really liked it, but had to force herself through the slow beginning. So, soon I will jump in again and see how it goes.
For once, I'm recording my impression immediately after finishing a book. The reason is that basically the end of the book left me with a surprising amount of energy and desire for action. I'm sitting here questioning how much I should believe that, but it's hard not get caught up in Conroy's characters' feelings. Leo's triumph and nice, novelistic ending is not one that I necessarily think I can achieve, but it still manages to leave me feeling good. I'd say this is typical of the book as a whole, where an entire cast of characters appears and moves around in a way that - while not predictable exactly - lends itself to feeling like it's on rails, with just a hint too much deus ex. I don't feel that seriously harms the novel though for me; I take it with an understanding of suspension of disbelief and the enjoyment is conscious rather than consuming.
It is impossible to overstate how ridiculous this book is. What a soap opera! My sister tried to warn me from reading it but I did it anyway.
I'm not a beach read kind of girl, and this is definitely that kind of book. I felt like Conroy tried to pack every idea he had ever had into one book and it was all over the place. It addressed race issues, class issues, homosexuality, had a homocidal maniac, orphans and upper class all mixed together. Very disappointed. I only kept reading because I hate to leave a book unfinished.