A self-indulgent wank-fantasy: Ageing Great Actor Simon Axler loses his art and becomes depressed; neurotic wife leaves him; he can't bring himself to commit suicide and briefly checks into a mental institution; after his release he's cheered up by lots of exotic sex with a lesbian 25 years his younger - but he's worried she'll leave him; she leaves him; he ends it all in the attic with a shotgun by pretending to be Constantin from the 'The Seagull': his art is rediscovered. I'm told Roth is a good writer - and this does have a vigorous style - but this is hugely disappointing. It could have made a good short story - if Saki had been allowed to write about explicit sex, he'd probably have written this with half the words and twice the panache. Alternatively, it could have made a good novel (at 140 pages of large type, this can't really count as a novel). In a longer book, Roth could have explored the themes in depth: the art of acting, depression, loss, betrayal, relationships, sexuality, possums. I could forgive the trite ending if the rest of the book had more (or less) to say. The characterisations are also poor. The words tell us that Axler is charismatic, that his wife is neurotic, that his lesbian lover is sexually predatory, that her ex is hysteric: well-rounded female parts all. Best things about it? It's well-written and it's short. 2.5*when I picked up this book, I thought to myself- just 140 pages, how hard will it be to finish it within a day.when I began reading it, I realized. Whether it is truly boring or I was not in a receptive mindset while reading it, I do not know but I sure did find this book very difficult to read.the flow was alright but too many things were thrown in randomly in the story as if the author wanted to deal with everything in minimal words but it had to be there. The narration is crisp and direct but what's the use of it if it doesn't engage the reader?it took me 4 days to finish this book. 4 days gone down the drain.
What do You think about La Humillación (2009)?
I enjoyed reading Indignation. I find Roth's memories of Newark far more interesting.
—unuhready
Short, interesting, a little sad and kind of off kilter.
—Katelyn
