( 1 reviews )
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Posted: Aug 31 2006
Bloom's strength lies in characterization. His characters are a bunch of oddballs--complex, life-like, and believable even at their most ridiculous. The book is laid out with each chapter focusing on a character. The author reveals their ambition and fears (often clashing with reality) through effective dialogue, interior monologue, and occasional insignificant gestures. Bloom has a really good ear for dialogue, using it well to flesh out his characters. Even Paul Tucci's unbelievable stupidity is surprisingly believable. The narrative feels like a string of soliloquies with each character featured and acting on their own self-interest and eventually coming together unsuspectingly. The book has some good commentary on American neo-conservative political thought and motive.
