Stella Navaratnam 2008-06-16

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

This is a pretty perceptive novel, it takes swipes on our unfettered faith in capitalism, and free-market theories. Most of the characters introduced in the novel are likeable, flawed, and consequently interesting. The plot is a bit hazy, but it's an engaging commentary about the times we live in. Do give it a go- I found it to be an entertaining piece of work to lose myself in.

ioana1 2008-06-10

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

After reading The Corrections, I was ready to jump on the Franzen train, to buy all books that he has ever written and devour all of them. The Corrections was one of my favorite books ever. This one, however, is a quagmire. I was stuck reading an uninspired newsreel for weeks, with too many characters, dry narration, and uncomfortable racism infused paragraphs. Really dissapointing.

David Blanton 2008-03-28

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

This is a fun and quietly zany book about a host of political players caught up in a one-horse conspiracy to rezone the city - for vast real-estate profits - and the vain fledgling counter-conspiracy that springs up to try to stop it. A great soup of quirky, convincing characters who continuously flavor one other's actions and motives.

I loved the Corrections and the writing here is similar, if not nearly identical in tone, style and purpose. But where his later smash hit was about small circumstances and grand themes, "The Twenty-Seventh City" is about supposedly soaring politicos and the mundane goals they fight for with all their might. The great farce of "The Twenty-Seventh City" - if you want to look at that way - is that for all their outsized and often self-imposed importance, these characters end up really going nowhere, achieving nothing.

Simon Cleveland 2006-05-08

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

The Twenty Seventh City is Jonathan Franzen's first book, but his debut is exceptional. Had I read this book back in the late eighty when it was first released, I'd followed Franzen's career more closely. Not many twenty-something year-olds can write with such clarity, stamina and talent.

The story takes place in Franzen's home city of St. Louis. It follows the devious raise and fall of an American-born female with an Indian descent (we are talking Bombay Indian), desperate to win the elections for unification of the County and City. Of course, Franzen introduces numerous other characters and masterfully examines not only their relationships, but their complex internal natures, emotions, aspirations and needs.

This is a book that replaces TV, internet and radio as a sort of entertainment. You'll get home from work, school, whatever, and would want to grab it and loose yourself in it. You'll go to bed with it and wake up with it. It's well thought, entertaining and intricate. I highly recommend it.

-by Simon Cleveland

Daniel Swanson 2005-09-14

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

I can't say enough good things about "The Corrections." Because of that, I had really high hopes for "The Twenty-Seventh City." I couldn't have been more disappointed in a book.

Complicated, ambitious characters and plot-lines and themes don't scare me; I prefer those types of stories. But I could not follow this thing at all. Many times, I found my mind wandering on other exciting subjects such as what I'm gonna cook for dinner or when am I gonna sort the socks.

S Jammu was a corrupt person with an agenda and that was the only thing that was obvious. The other sub-plots and characters had no connection as far as I could tell. The business themes and story lines were boring for me. The in-depth descriptions of the real estate business held nothing of interest.

I give this book two stars because in Franzen style the descriptions were outstanding.

I wouldn't tell anyone NOT to read this book. I just didn't happen to get it. I do think there are plenty of people out there who would have an appreciation for this bizarre story.