Bookclub: A Good American

This started out as a really interesting story. Frederick sweeps his girl, Jetta off her feet. They start a romantic relationship and flea to America to avoid family tensions after getting pregnant. I really enjoyed their story and how the author unfolded their acclimating to life in Missouri. 

Around a third of the way in to the story, Frederick goes off to war and dies. This took me by complete surprise because he seemed to be the "Good American" and how can you have two-thirds of a story left to read without the main character? Well, the narrator (Frederick's grandson) shares the story of how his life came to be and a little of his father and aunt's story. 

The book lacks a real climax or arc and is more of a narrative of connections and a few traumatic events. There are a few really random turns concerning high school boys and their music teacher (completely caught off guard by this as it really didn't seem important or fitting in with the story). There is also a strange religious experience that the local pastor experiences and is just bizarre. The ending took another random turn and seemed rushed. 

Regretfully, I wouldn't recommend reading this one. It was really odd to not like it. I really enjoyed the first third, but the rest of it wasn't that interesting. I finished it but didn't really think it was that well written. Have you read it? What did you think?

This started out as a really interesting story. Frederick sweeps his girl, Jetta off her feet. They start a romantic relationship and flea to America to avoid family tensions after getting pregnant. I really enjoyed their story and how the author unfolded their acclimating to life in Missouri. 

Around a third of the way in to the story, Frederick goes off to war and dies. This took me by complete surprise because he seemed to be the "Good American" and how can you have two-thirds of a story left to read without the main character? Well, the narrator (Frederick's grandson) shares the story of how his life came to be and a little of his father and aunt's story. 

The book lacks a real climax or arc and is more of a narrative of connections and a few traumatic events. There are a few really random turns concerning high school boys and their music teacher (completely caught off guard by this as it really didn't seem important or fitting in with the story). There is also a strange religious experience that the local pastor experiences and is just bizarre. The ending took another random turn and seemed rushed. 

Regretfully, I wouldn't recommend reading this one. It was really odd to not like it. I really enjoyed the first third, but the rest of it wasn't that interesting. I finished it but didn't really think it was that well written. Have you read it? What did you think?