Review: Everything is Illuminated

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Foer's novels now, but this is definitely my least favorite. For a book that is entitled, Everything is Illuminated I found this novel to be anything but illuminating. The narrative was confusing and I think it was supposed to be funny, but I just didn't get it.

The characters were flat and uninteresting. The plot was disjointed - switching between past and present, different perspectives, prose and letter format, etc. - and it was hard to follow. I found myself having to re-read whole sections just to make heads or tails of it. At times, Foer drops plot lines abruptly and never comes back to them, which left me questioning their relevance to begin with.

It took me a long time to get through this novel. Normally, I don't mind a novel that requires a more active approach, but about halfway through, this one became a chore for me to get through. I think it lacks the witty, descriptive prose that I have come to expect from Foer. This novel just felt gimmicky. Not one of my favorites.

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