The Fortress of Solitude

Written By Jess Pancholi
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The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem
Reviewed by Jess
📗📘

I bought this book on the basis of reviews calling it a classic book about New York City, and I agree – New York is the main character, its skylines and suburbs weaving their personalities through the story and affecting the characters deeply. But I think honestly, that’s all I enjoyed. Dylan is white, Mingus is black, and I thought maybe their struggles to hold their friendship together in the tough blocks of Brooklyn would keep me hooked. Instead I felt lukewarm about how it all plays out. Set to the changing soundtrack of music from Disco to Punk to Grunge, the historical narrative outweighs the fictional story, and this is where Lethem’s descriptive writing style comes into its own. It’s definitely interesting, and sure seems important, but it isn’t enough, for me at least.

Jess Pancholi

I’ve got to start this off by thanking Linda for putting together this amazing group of ladies who I love dearly! Linda was my uni/PhD wife for 8 solid years and books were one of the many things that bound us together - pun intended! I really think our book family is amazing, diverse and we really influence each other to push our reading boundaries (and crack each other up with our banter and jokes haha!) The family extends to you followers too - and we are just getting started!

According to everyone in my family and numerous home movies I was forever reading books.  Spot the Dog and anything Beatrix Potter were my jam. They say your love of reading never dies and I can absolutely say that is true! The books might be more grown up but I’m still there, book in hand (and snacks to boot!) ready to lose myself in a story.I can’t say for sure what my preferred genre of book is - I’ve read everything from biographies to epic modern novels and classic tales too - and of course as a scientist I dabble in a little popular sci lit on the side. I’m always willing to try something wacky and weird, even if I don’t like it in the end but I guess that’s why I’m part of The Candid Book Club, eh?

If you asked me to recommend some books to you, I would say that Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy is my absolute favourite ever; its worth it, I promise!I also love: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (shout out if you read this in high school - it’s YA that really sticks with you) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Good Immigrant edited by Nikesh Shukla (this is ESSENTIAL reading) Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami A Little Life by Hanyayan Agihara, Yes Please by Amy Poehler. And of course- The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck by Beatrix Potter

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