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Book Review of The Soloist

The Soloist
The Soloist
Author: Mark Salzman
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
reviewed on + 32 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6


I just read this book today - and it's a remarkably smooth, comfortable read. While I didn't feel like I couldn't put it down when I had other things to do, I also felt drawn, and almost compelled to finish it the same day I picked it up. Perhaps it's because the pages fly by so unnoticably that you're 150 pages into it, and you figure you should be able to finish the last 134 too!

Anyway, like I mentioned, Salzman creates a comfortable, easy-going text, although I wasn't overly comfortable with the main character. I couldn't tell whether I liked him or not, but that didn't seem to matter. Having been a child prodigy, and remaining a 36-year-old virgin puts him outside the realm of most of our experiences, but I felt almost a sense of pity for him, that allowed me to remain involved in the book. The more I read though, the less pity I felt, and the more interested I became. I could see what was happening to him, and I did sympathize for him during the jury deliberations - questions of moral justice are difficult to come to terms with.