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| The March -- E. L. Doctorow | | Date Created: Jan 16, 2006, 10:44 PM |
 I Dropped other important books to read this after receiving it as a Christmas gift. It's an historical novel, a tough category to review. I don't read many novels, but I read a lot of history.
The March by E. L. Doctorow received a lot of critical acclaim. I'd also loved reading Ragtime a long time ago. I know the history of the Civil War rather well, although not as much about the last few months that this book covers. Sherman's march to the sea and up the Carolinas at the end of the war is certainly worthy of an epic Doctorow treatment.
There are some interesting links in this book. The army surgeon, Wrede Sartorius, figures in other Doctorow works and connects up with Lincoln's assassination and his deathbed scene. The slave daughter of the plantation master, Pearl, presages the advent of women becoming doctors. And Coalhouse Walker apparently goes on to have a son who shows up in Ragtime.
The writing is undeniably beautiful. There's even a "Russian novel" quality to it that is apparently intentional. The dreamlike quality and evoked images are quite remarkable. You can drift along through this book just on the strength of the words.
Still, it doesn't really work as history. The plot line is confusing. I'm not even sure it works as a novel. And yet it's still worth reading. I guess that's both the strength and the weakness of historical novels. |
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