Crossroads, Jonathon Franzen
First read of the year! This one made it onto my list after reading about it in the Washington Post 10 Best Books of 2021. I added it to my Want-to-Reads and then Jordine sent it to me as a Christmas present (in hardcover no less).
The book centered on a family living in the American Midwest in the 70’s and rotated perspective between family members: a preacher past his prime, his wife who hides a disturbing past, and their four children. With each chapter, we get a look into each character’s internal life, often finding that previous assumptions were false or unfair. The author does a great job of playing with expectations and using the shifting points of view to mislead the reader around characters’ intentions.
The theme of yearning for belonging permeated the book. The father, Russ, feels humiliation at being rejected by the youth group he founded and seeks validation from a pretty young widow as well as various minority groups, where he teeters between ally and savior. The mother, Marion, builds a life of safety and routine only to come to a breaking point, obsessively tracking down an ex-lover in the pursuit of “real” love. Their children grapple with seeking romantic love and sex, taking sides in dire family conflict, and learning how (if it’s even possible) to build their own futures.
Franzen’s writing flows in a way that makes the nearly 600 pages fly by. I think it’s hard to find a balance between exceptional writing and page-turn-ability and the author sacrifices neither. The characters were dynamic and complex, flawed but relatable, each with a distinct voice. The heartbreak in this book comes slow and stays with you without leaving you totally distraught. This book was a complete meal and I cannot wait for the next two books in the planned trilogy.
Rating: 8/10
Read if you liked: Pachinko, The Heart’s Invisible Furies, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant