Iāve got some time here in a long car ride and I need to get some thoughts out about this book. Most people will probably disagree with me, including my Dad who is driving said car, but thatās ok! Iāll try to be quick. This will probably make more sense if youāve read it.
First: In what world does this take place? I was in a small liberal arts college with a decent athletics program not so long ago and none of these characters seemed real. No one spoke like these kids spoke. None of them were called āfreshpersonsā. And no student was given admission to the school by a sophomore baseball player. Sorry, that stuff just doesnāt happen.
Second: Plot holes galore. A couple of stories start out ok and then totally drop off. We even have to skip the protagonists real school beginning. I want to know what The Art of Fielding meant to Henry in the end. I want to know where Pellaās husband went. I want to know why Owen even played baseball at all.
Third: To me this book read as if Harbach was trying SO hard to be risky, but couldnāt quite get there. You have a gay subplot between a staff member and a student? Ooooohhh brave! Now actually follow through with it and let these characters be real instead of just a cliche! And a baseball captain/football captain/Greek learner/LSAT studier/painkiller addict all in one 22 year old guy? No. Make him something, but there isnāt enough time in the day to be all that. Pick something and run with it.
Iād actually love to talk about it more if anyone wants to email me. I feel bad calling a book āatrociousā, but thatās the only way Iāve been able to describe it. Just remember that this is my initial reaction and that Iām almost always willing to concede when good points are made!
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