The Emperor's Children (Vintage)
by Claire Messud
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Book Reviews of The Emperor's Children (Vintage)
Book Review: Lots of character of development, little plot
Summary: 3 Stars
The Emperor's Children tells the story of a group of three friends, Julian, Marina and Danielle, and the people that connect them, during the course of several months pre- and post- 9/11. The novel is, as a whole, a character study, loosely held together by a primarily uneventful plot. There are a few exceptions, for example, when Julian gets beaten nearly to death in a gay club for cheating on his lover and September 11 itself. The fact that the book is uneventful isn't necessarily a strike against it, it's just something the reader must be prepared for. Claire Messud skillfully crafts her characters, persuasively convincing the reader that they truly know these slightly despicable people they are investing so much time in. She provides excellent personality descriptions from a multitude of perspectives, allowing the reader to come to an informed conclusion regarding each person.
As far as content and plot, the main issue is the whole transitioning period/ crossroads in life these three friends are feeling as they leave their twenties behind for their thirties. They struggle to find relationships and careers they are passionate for and make many mistakes along the way. The whole novel is truly them questioning their identities, worrying that they're not on the appropriate track for the age they are. The one character, who is not a part of the main three, is Bootie, or Frederick. He too is trying to find what path to take, deciding that he was just far too intellectual for the college system. His journey into self-discovery is actually a lot more exciting than the other characters; he constantly moves, doesn't think about the consequences his actions will bring (he hand delivers a nasty expose to the subject of the essay, his uncle, who is also his employer), and actually experiences the most metamorphic change in the novel. This makes sense, though, as adventures typically happen in our early twenties rather than thirties.
As a whole I enjoyed this novel and the messages it had to offer. The only drawback, though, is that five hundred pages of character development can become occasionally tiresome.
Book Review: Not superficially superficial
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a bigger book than Messud's earlier novels, but I fear a less deep one. The "Emperor" of the title is Murray Thwaite, a celebrated journalist turned pundit. Leading their lives in his shadow are various other media intellectuals: his daughter Marina, her best friend Danielle, a young gay critic on The Village Voice, and several other characters in their twenties or early thirties. Together they comprise a portrait of New York culturati at the beginning of the milennium. Messud captures this world with pitch-perfect accuracy and dry wit, losing her touch only in some of the gay sex scenes which lack the balance of the rest. The narrative flows smoothly and the interwoven web of relationships gradually gains in complexity.
But is this enough? I was attracted by the review quoted from Bookforum, which said: "Messud lifts superficially superficial characters out of the trivial." You can certainly see the superficiality, but you have to wait a long time before the author moves past merely recording the mores of this rather inbred group and begins dealing with true moral issues that can resonate beyond it. Ultimately, I did begin to feel for some of the characters, though in episodes rather than continuously. This may be because Messud is intent on maintaining some balance of sympathy and not painting anybody as entirely good or bad -- but all she ends up doing is to conceal her moral grid, and make everybody end up looking more rather than less superficial. I also feel it a little cheapening that she chooses to use a genuinely significant event (the 9/11 attacks) to end a story of lives which seem trivial in comparison.
This is Messud moving into Tom Wolfe territory, with rather less success. But do not write her off entirely. Her earlier novels, THE LAST LIFE and especially WHEN THE WORLD WAS STEADY, show a voice that is clearly her own, quieter, and oddly far more resonant.
Book Review: Okay, but overrated
Summary: 3 Stars
Poor Claire Messud. She wrote a book that is at least interesting. Unfortunately, she pointed her finger squarely at the literati who would be reviewing her book. What a quandry said individuals must have been in when they read this book. To have admitted it was merely mediocre would have looked defensive, at best. No no, better to praise it, talk about it's brilliance, and then wait for others to read it, realize it's true value, and write their own reviews.
So, here we are. Expectations high, we are disappointed. The reviews here are from individuals who didn't seem to mind this book, they merely don't see how it's brilliant. And, well, it's not.
Unlike other reviewers, I wasn't as disappointed by the lack of character development. There were so many characters, it would have been difficult to have had much real character development. I was primarily disappointed by the character's "struggles." Oh, if only the meaning of life really was all wrapped up in a self-absorbed, New York based, literary greatness of sorts. It's not, of course, and it's tiring to read on and on about characters who think it is. I yearned for at least one of them to recognize something bigger. Despite Messud's attempts to convey some kind of biting criticism at this small-mindedness, in the end the final character could not, even in his own "unique" way, escape the desire to become "great" in some hurtful, selfish, uninspiring, and oh yes, literary way. These are ulimately shallow and unlikeable creatures (even the ones we're supposed to like are victims of their own egos and narrow vision). I started to wonder more about the author's personal feelings about the literary world and her own desire for "greatness" than the characters themselves. Not a sign of a "great" book.
So, interesting - a book that will keep you going - but will not provide you with the universal insights you might seek from such a lauded novel. As I said, the reviewers got us this time, didn't they? And maybe that's Messud's point all along....
Book Review: Intelligent and sophisticated
Summary: 4 Stars
I really can't understand the many negative reviews this intelligent and challenging book has received. I have never lived in New York, but I imagine that at least some of the critical opinions might arise from the unease and discomfort caused by Messud's too vivid, warts-and-all portraits of its denizens.
For me, "The Emperor's Children" was one of the best books I read this year. While comparing it to Edith Wharton's fiction might be going too far, it certainly has wonderful character development - it's peopled with many-dimensional, idiosyncratic, complex persons - and the fact that they are often unlikeable makes them even more realistic. We all know people like Murray Thwaite, for example. Even the minor characters, such as David or Randy, are wonderfully drawn and believable.
I would perhaps have enjoyed more insight into Julius, the gay, half-Vietnamese journalist with the complicated love life, who among the main characters receives the least attention. A sinister aura builds slowly but steadily around Ludovic Seeley, portending some evil deed that in the end inexplicably fails to materialize. Also, ***SMALL SPOILER HERE***, I felt that Murray's behavior at Danielle's apartment in the aftermath of 9/11 was insufficiently explained/analyzed, as was the behavior of his (otherwise smart) wife Annabel when he comes back home. But these are all minor flaws. The novel is really enjoyable.
When one compares Messud's elegant, ambitious and psychologically astute novel with efforts by other contemporary novelists I have read recently (such as Ayelet Waldman or Binnie Kirshenbaum, for example), Messud's writing seems much more serious, mature and confident - the work of a fine novelist at the height of her creative powers. I haven't read her other books, but something tells me I'll be buying them soon!
Book Review: THIS BOOK CAN RUIN A VACATION--AND NOT BECAUSE IT EVOKES THE INTENDED EMOTIONS!
Summary: 1 Stars
I made the mistake of taking this book to Cancun as my "vacation get-away book." I can honestly say that this book the aforementioned vacation. While my husband sat chuckling over his book ("Then We Came to an End," by Joshua Ferris), --which he stole from me because he hadn't brought a book, but his book was my backup (this is the type of sentence you can expect from "The Emperor's Children")--I was in agony trying to crawl across the finish line. Why? I mistakenly thought there had to be a point to the self-indulgent tripe I had already slogged through for 400 pages. It turns out there wasn't. The best part of this book was ceremoniously throwing the book (purchased full-price and new) in the trash can in front of the aforementioned husband (as he giggled over the last few pages of his book--jerk!). I truly felt as if I had done something to help humanity--and I didn't even recycle (I was at the airport in Mexico, so I didn't really have the option).
Oddly, the only thing that had any application to this book was the concept of "The Emperor's New Clothes," which was mentioned (as with many plotlines) and then tossed aside again. This novel is the epitome of an "Emperor's New Clothes" situation. I don't know what reviewer(s) started the positive buzz about this book, but it is stark-naked pretension at its worst. It is this book that has no clothes. I note that various iterations of the words "slog" and "pretentious" show up on this review, and for good reason. Oh, and note to the author: not providing plot resolution at the end of the book does not render it "po-mo chic;" just makes it pointless.
I have never been compelled to post a review here, but this book has driven me to it. It has been most therapeutic to find this virtual support group for those who wasted hours of life on this drivel!