Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Manhattan Nocturne by Colin Harrison ISBN: 0-312-99303-X Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 03 February, 2004 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.48 (23 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A "Book Noir"
Comment: If a book ever deserved to be defined as a "film noir," then Colin Harrison's "Manhatten Nocturne" is it. The author's descriptions of New York City evoke the mood of that town to the point of elevating this novel to the status of great literature. Is it a dectective novel? Not exactly. Is it a mystery? No, not exaclty, and yet it is both and more. A dark, and brooding story written in the first person, "Manhatten Nocturne" is a compelling book, not for prudes or the faith of heart. A gritty, tough, and at times sad novel about love, death, hate and everything that makes Manhatten what it is.
Rating: 3
Summary: Okay so it's not the best, but it ain't bad!
Comment: I listened to an abridged audiotape of this book and liked it from the beginning. The narrator was good and gave the story a kind of grittiness that makes you think of dark, foggy nights and footsteps in the dark. I found it very easy to visualize the scenes.
The story was interesting (but not engrossing), and I liked the author's 'style.' I found myself reading on because I wanted to figure out what the woman's motivations were, and how far the reporter would go to help her (and himself) out. The author is a very "frank" writer (having the characters say whatever was on their minds) -- which surprised me, but didn't turn me off.
The story was good but not as engrossing as I expected due to the narration and author's style. Meaning, this sounded like a book that would grab you from the start and keep you on the edge of your seat, but it wasn't. It did grab me from the start, but it wasn't suspenseful or thrilling enough to have me on the edge of my seat. But I did finish it.
The ending was okay and the 'wrap-up' reminded me of the old detective noir stories. Again, the ending didn't lead up to a big bang full of excitement, but it wasn't bad. It kind of slowly unfolded before you with all the loose ends being wrapped up and tied together. I would recommend the book but only in an audiotape version. Had I been reading it visually, I don't know that I would have gotten through it so quickly. But on audio, it was a nice 'read.'
Rating: 3
Summary: Not quite
Comment: Well, Harrison can write. Perhaps too much. One major problem for the novel: Sex. A little in this department goes a long way. I've read plenty of sex scenes in novels, going back to Sonny Corleone shaking the door in the Godfather during the wedding. Good writers seem to know how to place such scenes within the larger context of the novel. Especially so in crime novels. With Harrison however, there seems to be a pornographic line crossed. (Suggestion and mystery - forget it.) Or perhaps it's meant to be a commentary on America and voyeurism. Indeed, not far below the surface of Manhattan Nocturne are all kinds of commentaries - on sex, on celebrity, on film, on materialism and the power of money. All are worthy topics, but any novel that tries to tackle them all is bound to fail. Bound up in all these ruminations is the search for Truth, as Harrison reminds us through the mouths of several characters. I suppose that's why the character Porter Wren can offer up such clear eyed but intimate details on his lovemaking with his wife. (He's a journalist after all.) But other than revealing there is a mystery in her desires that has much to do with her, and little to do with him (other than fulfilling a big time male fantasy), it still doesn't reveal much about her other than suburban kinkiness. (And of course, she's a good mother.) The fact that Harrison returns to such bedroom scenes should be some sort of writing sin.
On the good side, Harrison does create some memorable characters (Caroline is a good femme fatale). In fact, Caroline's story within the story was more memorable than the actual story itself.. Dialogue sounds right. And the plot's not bad either, though twisty as hell, with something of a whimper ending. On the bad: continuous name dropping (Tarantino, Dan Quayle, Mayor Giuliani, etc.). Manhattan Nocturne is simply an attempt to write a Big Important Novel (much like Tom Wolfe's attempts). That never works. A smaller, more focused one would of been a better approach.
 |
Title: Break and Enter by Colin Harrison ISBN: 0312979673 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 07 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Afterburn by Colin Harrison ISBN: 0312978707 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 19 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Bodies Electric by Colin Harrison ISBN: 0312979665 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 07 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: The Havana Room by Colin Harrison ISBN: 0374299862 Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux Pub. Date: 15 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
 |
Title: Bangkok 8 by John Burdett ISBN: 1400040442 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
