The flamethrowers

Rachel Kushner 's writing is awesome. This is a long novel, and even if I didn't always know where it was going, it held my attention. The characters and situations are intriguing in this memorable novel about a young woman coming into her own during an interesting time.

First off, as a whippet owner, I have to make clear there's no such thing as a "miniature whippet." The author means an Italian Greyhound. Anyway, I'd give this novel 3.5 stars if I could -- the first 3/4 is a bit of a slog, but it's worth it for the remaining 1/4. The character development of what's initially an irritatingly young and naive ingenue is well-written and believable, and it presents interesting questions about what constitutes art and/or a meaningful life. The secondary characters are colorful and carefully drawn. The story, although slow to develop, ultimately ties all its threads together in an interesting way, and I found the ending very satisfying.

Beautifully written; dull characters; not enough plot. Wanted to like it but did not.