When I began to read Rachel Kushner's abysmal "The Flamethrowers," one of the reviewer blurbs, praising her book, I read, was from the author of "Gods Without Men." which had been resting on my To Be Read Shelf for quite some time. I decided to give it a try, fearing it might be as bad as Kushner's book, in which case, it would be best to get the reading over with, and get the book out of my house.
One thing the book has against it--it could have been halved, and still told its essential story. The filler is an historical amalgamation of religion, philosophy, mysticism and interplanetary abduction, suggesting Roswell. Talk about throwing everything into one pan.
And why are Jaz and his wife, Lisa, so stupid? Why can't they accept what the reader can--that the reason their autistic son, Raj, seems changed upon his return, was that he was abducted by aliens for a time, and benefited from their help. They actually HELPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I found that idea the most moving of the book. I just could not fathom why the Matharu family was so clueless.
Or was that the intention? Maybe, but Kunzru never makes this clear. He just weaves an overlong, ambiguous tale that is a big reader tease.
Nevertheless, it is a good deal more readable than Kushner's book, so one must be thankful for small mercies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I can do is end this with the most appropriate filler--the Carpenters, and their outside the boundaries hit, "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft."
But not to worry. Kunzru's book will never make a space capsule for aliens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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