crlsart

Miss Lonelyhearts was packaged with the copy of The Day of the Locust that I purchased, so I felt obliged to read it as well. And with a 65 page length, it was easily read in a couple of sittings. It is the story of a man who answers the Miss Lonelyheart letters at a New York paper during the depression. Initially, he is self-absorbed and sees the job as a joke. But as he reads and answers more letters, he develops a need to "save" the desperate letter writers. The theme of salvation and religion are so heavy handed and obvious, the final scene is very predictable. The book itself is almost it's own Cliff Notes with many passages specifically spelling out for the reader what is going on. In one scene a character actually tells another "I have a Christ complex". I'm surprised by so many four and five star ratings. The book obviously appeals to many, but really didn't do much for me.

2022-11-14 16:44