historical fiction
Rye is 16 years old and trying to survive in Spokane in 1909
along with his older brother, Gig. After Gig is jailed for speaking out for
workers’ rights, Rye ends up helping both those parties fighting for workers’ rights and those fighting against it. Up until this point, he’s not had the opportunity
to contemplate his own desires beyond food and shelter. With influence from
both good and bad actors, Rye navigates his life as best he can.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like The Cold Millions at first. As usual, I liked Jess Walter’s realistic writing style and his characters. But the story and topic wasn’t pulling me in. Thankfully, it became more interesting and I was hooked by the 50% mark.
After reading three of his novels
and a book of his short stories, I can say that Walter tends to write about the
average guy just trying to get through life’s hurdles in his own way. Money is a common concern. There are good and
bad influences, good and bad decisions, and a few crazy curve balls.
This story is told from multiple points of view and narrative types (which is unusual--sometimes
in first person and sometimes in third person). Also unusual is
that some characters are killed off after their chapters. Additionally, some
chapters end with an open, unfinished sentence which continues with the next
chapter. I assume these switches and full stops and continuations are done for
a purpose other than being unusual and sort of cool. Perhaps Walter wants to
make the reader feel the uncertainty and fun-house mirror sensations that Rye is
experiencing. The reader is being shaken up, sort of like Rye. That’s my guess
and I’m going with it.
No comments:
Post a Comment