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Title: The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Author: Michael Chabon
Genre: Alt history mystery
Thingummies: 5
Synopsis: In an alternate timeline where the Jews were kicked out of Israel in 1948 and settled in Sitka instead, a detective tries to solve a murder on the eve of Jewish territory reverting back to the US.
Thoughts: You don't need to be familiar with Yiddish to enjoy this book, but it helps.
Chabon does an excellent job of subtly explaining not only his alternate history but the real history underlying it, and there's a handy Yiddish dictionary at the back. But it takes at least some familiarity with Jewish culture to truly appreciate this book. It permeates everything from the plot-critical wistful yearning for a Messiah who never seems to show up to the hilariously named Shoyfar brand cell phones. The plot is twisty, the characters layered, the setting beautifully detailed--anyone could enjoy this. But Jewishness infuses the very rhythm of the language and cadence of the humor, like tea seeps into a sheet of paper.
This is modern noir, with the deep cynicism about government, religion, and life in general and the you-can't-quite-trust-anyone plot twists. Minor throwaways have a habit of returning in unexpectedly clever configurations, to the point that I can't call them out without spoilers. Pie turns out to play a pivotal role.
Fortunately, this doesn't include the typical noir misogyny. Oh, I'm not sure this passes the Bechdel test--I think all woman-to-woman conversations happen offpage. (Although it's clear that they happened.) But while a major character is the suddenly-returned ex-wife, Chabon cleverly inverts the trope by combining her with another stock figure--the hardass-yet-secretly-supportive police chief. Bima is competent and respected, plays her own role in the story, and ends up probably just as pivotal to the resolution as her alcoholic detective ex-husband. There are wives and mothers here, and a dead sister to boot, but none of them feel particularly caricature-like, and they have their own agency. It was appreciated.
Author: Michael Chabon
Genre: Alt history mystery
Thingummies: 5
Synopsis: In an alternate timeline where the Jews were kicked out of Israel in 1948 and settled in Sitka instead, a detective tries to solve a murder on the eve of Jewish territory reverting back to the US.
Thoughts: You don't need to be familiar with Yiddish to enjoy this book, but it helps.
Chabon does an excellent job of subtly explaining not only his alternate history but the real history underlying it, and there's a handy Yiddish dictionary at the back. But it takes at least some familiarity with Jewish culture to truly appreciate this book. It permeates everything from the plot-critical wistful yearning for a Messiah who never seems to show up to the hilariously named Shoyfar brand cell phones. The plot is twisty, the characters layered, the setting beautifully detailed--anyone could enjoy this. But Jewishness infuses the very rhythm of the language and cadence of the humor, like tea seeps into a sheet of paper.
This is modern noir, with the deep cynicism about government, religion, and life in general and the you-can't-quite-trust-anyone plot twists. Minor throwaways have a habit of returning in unexpectedly clever configurations, to the point that I can't call them out without spoilers. Pie turns out to play a pivotal role.
Fortunately, this doesn't include the typical noir misogyny. Oh, I'm not sure this passes the Bechdel test--I think all woman-to-woman conversations happen offpage. (Although it's clear that they happened.) But while a major character is the suddenly-returned ex-wife, Chabon cleverly inverts the trope by combining her with another stock figure--the hardass-yet-secretly-supportive police chief. Bima is competent and respected, plays her own role in the story, and ends up probably just as pivotal to the resolution as her alcoholic detective ex-husband. There are wives and mothers here, and a dead sister to boot, but none of them feel particularly caricature-like, and they have their own agency. It was appreciated.
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Date: 2014-07-31 02:59 am (UTC)From: