Freedom by Jonathan Franzen - Book Review by Lily Richards, Unity Books

Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul - the gentrifiers, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter's dreams. Together with Walter - environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, family man - she was doing her small part to build a better world.

But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz - outré rocker and Walter's old college friend and rival - still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to poor Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become "a very different kind of neighbour," an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street's attentive eyes?

Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of too much liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's intensely realized characters, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.

ISBN 9780007318520

[detriplea]

It's really quite fascinating to read a great book while depressed. It really ends up to hit an internal chord so ruthlessly.

[panchoskie]

Wow. I'm flabbergasted. I had such high expectations for this book, but found it trite, adolescent, and basically poorly written. I suppose if one enjoys John Grishom or James Patterson you'll also like this book. But holy shit! If you're not a 16 year old girl, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Could we at least reserve true literature for the kind of praise this book has received?

[kevinpkavanagh]

Just finished it. Its a great book. The very last line made me gasp. But The Corrections is even better I think.

[bunkhaus]

Great novel. Politicaly and emotionally charged. Real Americana from a tremendous modern writer.

[RyanRabid]

Just put up my own review of Freedom on my channel and then found this video... wish I'd have seen it before! I was torn by Freedom... but I haven't read much Franzen. To correct that I started The Corrections last night :) Anywho, thanks for the review!

[NoPrblms]

Everyone says to start with The Corrections, but I started with Freedom as my first Franzen book. Highly recommend it. It's a perfect depiction of modern American life. A book for the NOW.

[CrouchingShiba]

Thanks for the review. I was trying to decide which Franzen book I should read first. Guess I'll go with Freedom.

[pbasker]

@panchoskie I'm not trolling you, but curious. I understand you don't like Franzen's work as well as with Grishom and Patterson.

I have yet to read this book and curious to see what all the fuss is about. Coming across your comments I assume you must know of some real gems out there. Maybe it's just a matter of taste.

What contemporary authors have you enjoyed?

[ptrts]

I came here for the book review, which is good, but you are adorable!

[ELECTECHNUT]

Thank you for your review. You've made me want to start reading again.

[haussmann]

what is the own channel of this Lilly girl

[Ascendo]

the plot is not amazingly tight but it is good.

[kant]

"If you have a good formula, keep using it"? You have no idea what good writing is about, do you? I'm no Franzen admirer, but you seem dimwitted.

[panchoskie]

Lily, you're gorgeous... but please investigate some real authors.