Freedom

Everyone seems to have a lot to say about Freedom. Love it. Hate it. I, however, do not have much to say. It was okay. There were sections I loved (Patty's “Autobiography”; Katz' interview) and parts I hated (anything focusing on Joey, aka the next Holden Caulfield; the Berglund family history).

The story is compelling at times, but is missing the bigger marks it seems to be striving for–i.e. scathing social commentary, epic narrative, grand witticism, and so forth. The characters are wonderfully drawn and their richness provides one argument for why to read this novel.

The most important advice I can offer regarding Freedom is to ignore the hype. It may be the best book you've ever read, it may be the worst. Or it may just fall in the middle somewhere. For the time being, you still have the freedom to make that choice yourself.