The Book Tower

After looking forward so much to reading Don De Lillo’s Falling Man I’m unable to hide my bitter disappointment in the novel. This is a big subject tackled by one of America’s leading authors, but simply stamping “9/11” on a work of fiction isn’t enough to make it a great one. I just spent too long waiting for the book to kick in, and while I was nodding sagely throughout – attempting to gel with the novel intellectually – it didn’t grip me emotionally. I found the characters flat and unengaging, and although Keith – survivor of the attacks on the twin towers – may be written as an invisible person, walking back into his family’s life after the terrorist attacks like a virtual ghost – the undead survivor perhaps – this is way beyond my capabilities as a reader.

While I commended De Lillo for waiting so long to tackle “9/11” – while others (British authors, I won’t mention their names) were bashing away at their keyboards to produce articles for next morning’s press before the second tower had even fallen – I wish he hadn’t produced something so leaden and pretentious. This isn’t going on my list of recommendations for 2007.