Even though you can already see Franzen’s incredible writing talent in this debut,

I still don't recommend reading it. The story is truly a tedious one, filled with complicated plotlines and moments that are at times completely incomprehensible. It seems to lack the coherence and engaging flow that makes a great novel.

On the other hand, I highly recommend two of his other works. The Corrections, which I would rate a solid 5 stars, is a masterpiece. It delves deep into the human condition and family dynamics with such precision and insight.

Freedom is also an excellent read, earning a 4-star rating from me. It explores themes of love, loyalty, and the search for meaning in a modern world with Franzen's characteristic intelligence and prose style.

So, while his debut may not be up to par, these other two novels are definitely worth your time and attention.

Have you ever delved into a book that was astonishingly bleak and depressing, yet written with such exquisite beauty that you simply couldn't tear yourself away?

Given all the hype surrounding Franzen's Freedom, I was intrigued to explore his style in one of his earlier works. There's no denying that he is an outstanding writer.

The profoundness and specificity of the novel's examples launch a direct and devastating assault on any romanticized notions of America.

If you're curious about the sick and twisted aspects of the relationships in your life (whether romantic, family, professional, or otherwise), Franzen leaves no room for ambiguity in showing how we're all self-interested and how only the coincidence of conflicting agendas prevents us from dismantling our own society.

When it comes to classifying the genre of the novel, the Twenty-Seventh City comes closest to what I would term a political thriller.

Despite its substantial size, the plot unfolds at a brisk pace. I gleaned a great deal about St. Louis, which I found to be a somewhat unexpected setting for a book that also offers some fascinating insights into India-US relations.

I'm truly eager to hear what others thought of this "broccoli book" - the writing is so superb that it's beneficial to read, even if you might not initially be inclined to.

And I'm also interested in whether you would recommend this novel to others.

Reading this book will give you a tight butt and killer abs.

Franzen's first novel is a real workout for the mind. He undertakes an astonishing variety of writing experiments that require the reader to work incredibly hard to keep up. For example, he switches back and forth between time frames without any visible cues like line breaks. He also writes whole page or multiple page sections without referring to character names, and "skips" entire events, forcing the reader to infer what happened between chapters or parts of a chapter. It feels as if Franzen was testing out numerous techniques, trying to find his unique voice.

For someone who reads just a few pages a night before bed, this was a significant challenge. However, Franzen has an incredible talent for capturing interpersonal relations and vividly describing what people do physically during a dialogue. I found myself skimming the parts about political intrigue as writing about this subject doesn't seem to be his forte, nor did it seem to be the core of the book. Instead, I was eager to get to the parts about interpersonal dynamics.

Even so, the way Franzen closes the book is truly remarkable and seems to resonate with our times, despite the fact that the book is over 20 years old. I haven't read Franzen's masterpiece, The Corrections, but I definitely plan to. His keen insight, in my opinion, is similar to David Foster Wallace's, but while Wallace seemed to have a passionate love for his subject matter, Franzen appears a bit more cautious or wary.

Overall, this book is a thought-provoking and engaging read that showcases Franzen's writing prowess and his willingness to take risks with his storytelling.

It is interesting to me that somehow it happened that I read Franzen's books in the reverse order of their publication. First, I read "Freedom", then "The Corrections", and finally "2727", the book that Franzen wrote first.

A friend of mine had already pointed out that "2727" is Franzen's weakest book. And indeed. (although it is still far better than anything that Donna Tartt has ever written).

I don't know what to say about this book. Franzen started writing it in 1984, inspired by Orwell's "1984", and published it four years later. He set the story in a somewhat imaginary St. Louis of that time. What is interesting to me is that the main antagonist... is an antagonist. A woman. And of Indian origin at that. That wouldn't pass nowadays. It is also interesting that Franzen wrote about HIV in this book (true, not under that name, but as about some new flu that prostitutes are suffering from en masse). And that was a time when we were just starting to understand that this virus exists.

Definitely, Franzen's "The Corrections" and "Freedom" are still my favorites (maybe in that order), and "2727" remains significant as the debut of a great American writer (who, as far as I understand, has the biggest drawback of not having an account on Twitter).

A few weeks ago, I came across an interesting and, I think, objective article that deals with the figure and work of this writer. I recommend that you read it. As well as Franzen's books.

http://www.glif.rs/blog/dzonatan-fren...

”His face was sifting through her hair, seeking skin. She twisted around in his arm and let him kiss her throat. Over his slicked-back hair she saw the hotel room’s ‘luxurious’ bedspread, its ‘contemporary’ art print, the ‘distinctive’ roughcast ceiling. He unbuttoned the top of her blouse, snorting intermittently. Probably the best metaphor for the State was sexual obsession. An absorbing parallel world, a clandestine organizing principle. Men moved mountains for the sake of a few muscle contractions in the dark.”

S. Jammu is an extremely ambitious woman. She rose rapidly through the police ranks in India. When the chance to become the St. Louis chief of police presents itself, she seizes it, believing the New World is hers to claim. Her arrival in Missouri is not just that of an individual but of an entire network. The skills and connections she cultivated in India are set to prove effective in the Gateway to the West. Her wealthy mother has ties to the highest echelons of power, and a flood of real estate money impacts St. Louis. Martin Probst, a key figure in the city's power structure, becomes a target. His reputation is spotless, but Jammu's network aims to turn him and his family to their advantage.

Probst, however, is naive in the face of such ambition. He has lived in a bubble of irreproachability for a long time. After building the Arch, he feels his life's work is done, and what follows seems insignificant. But he will soon find himself consumed by desires he never expected, which could potentially marginalize or even destroy him. The political machinations in this novel are captivating. We witness the numerous strings attached to Jammu and the slow, ponderous workings of the St. Louis political machine as it tries to deal with an adversary it doesn't fully understand. The lack of morality, the rapacious capitalism, and the unquenchable greed are all rather unnerving. Jammu's charisma, beauty, and determination make it easy for her to deceive people, and the dirty dealings behind her facade are rarely exposed.

This is a highly ambitious debut novel. The prose shows great promise, hinting at the talent that would be on full display in Franzen's future works. The plot is complex and convoluted, and human behavior is portrayed in a bleak light, much like in the darkest Shakespearean plays. While the novel does slow down in the middle, it still manages to hold the reader's attention. There are loose ends that some reviewers have criticized, but I believe that life is messy, and a good novel should reflect that. Franzen was only 29 when this book was published, yet his talent was already evident. I'm looking forward to reading his second novel, Strong Motion, soon. I've neglected his early works for too long, and I'm eager to see how his writing has evolved.

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Featured in my Top 5 Jonathan Franzen Books: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKJrZ...

Video-review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68qnEs...

Franzen's work is truly remarkable. His debut novel is nothing short of incredible. It showcases his unique writing style and ability to create a captivating story. This particular work has a Pynchonian quality to it, which adds an extra layer of depth and complexity. It's a refreshing departure from the typical Midwestern Family Saga that Franzen is often associated with. It proves that he can be equally awesome when he ventures into different literary territories. His talent knows no bounds, and this book is a testament to his versatility as a writer. Whether you're a die-hard Franzen fan or new to his work, this novel is definitely worth checking out.

To me, Franzen is the kind of writer whose books have a certain allure that manages to just about hold my attention initially. However, they lack the depth and staying power to make a lasting impression. I found myself only able to get halfway through this particular work of his.

As I read, I constantly felt a sense of detachment, as if the story wasn't truly engaging me on a profound level. There was nothing in it that made me eager to pick it up again and continue reading.

It's not that the writing was bad per se, but it simply failed to capture my imagination and keep me hooked. I can't help but wonder if Franzen's style is just not suited to my personal taste in literature.

Perhaps others might find more value and enjoyment in his works, but for me, this experience has left me rather disappointed and uninterested in exploring his other books further.

Sometimes I wonder if authors ever look back at their first book(s) and think, "wow, I can do so much better than that now." Do they ever regret publishing the early stuff?

I can't even tell you what happened here. It was so chock-full of politics (which I don't understand to begin with) and conspiracy (that I couldn't figure out the purpose for) that following anything was impossible.

A lot of my issues were character-related. There were just so many of them, with so few being memorable, that I couldn't keep them straight. Even Martin, our main focus, was hardly endearing or realistic. He has all this crap thrown at him, and he doesn't react. Dog dies? Well, that sucks. Teenager daughter living with her boyfriend? Nothing we can do about that! I don't know about you, but if I ran away to live with an older man when I was 17, my father would have dragged me back home by my hair. Both Martin and his wife, Barbara, are too busy feeling sorry for themselves to be realistic parents.

Occasionally I got into the story, when something was going on and I felt a character was actually developing. Luisa, the daughter, may have been a spoiled brat, but she actually grew up somewhere along the lines. I kind of liked her at the end, even if she was a tad morose. And there were times that Martin showed that he actually cared about something, but those moments were short-lived. Rolf's character was also well-done, as you could immediately tell when the perspective changed to his point of view. He is a seedy womanizer—one of those men you should stay far, far away from—but I liked him because I actually had a handle on who he was.

But it's obvious that Franzen hadn't quite found his voice yet, because he jumps all over the place. There were sections that I felt were supposed to be important, but I couldn't figure out who was speaking or why it was stuck in that particular place. There are so many perspective and style changes that it's hard to follow, and with the added bonus of political drama... I really don't know why everything was going on. Still, I can see the potential in Franzen's writing, and I'm curious to see how he develops as an author. Maybe his later works will be more to my liking.

Franzen's debut novel, "The Twenty-Seventh City," is a remarkable work. The guiding principle of Martin's personality, as described by Franzen, is the desire to be left alone. If in the past he sought attention and novelty, it was because they proved his difference, and solitude begins in difference. The picture of Franzen on the back cover gives the impression that he was already formulating ideas for this book in the womb. I was inspired to read it when I was headed to St. Louis, considering the recent race tensions there. The novel features sex, violence, politics, and intrigue, aspiring to be both a thriller and literary work. It is ambitious, with a messy plot that abandons threads, but also inventive and cracked in places. Despite not being his best work, it seems to have captured the paranoid, xenophobic, and social and race conflicts of the Obama era. Franzen's fixation on the American family is in its early stages here, with family dinners, spousal tensions, and more. His prose is great, though uneven, and his plot is complicated, with a masterful setting. This may not be a masterpiece, but it clearly indicates his future ambition and trajectory.

“The guiding principle of Martin’s personality, the sum of his interior existence, was the desire to be left alone.







If all those years he’d sought attention, even novelty, and if he still relished them, then that was because attention proved him different and solitude begins in difference.”

― Jonathan Franzen, The Twenty-Seventh City



Franzen's freshman effort is truly striking. Just one look at the picture of him on the back cover makes me think he must have been incubating the ideas for this book since his time in the womb. Seriously, he has that look of someone who might still be using the deodorant his dad gave him at puberty.



Anyway, I was motivated to read this book because I was going to St. Louis for a few days and thought, given the recent Ferguson-inspired race tensions, there couldn't be a more appropriate time to delve into Franzen's novel about an Indian woman who becomes the St. Louis chief of police. It has all the elements of a thriller - sex, violence, politics, intrigue, etc. - but it also aspires to be a literary work, or perhaps it's a thriller written by someone who is in the wrong genre.



The book is ambitious, but the plot is a bit of a mess, with threads left hanging all over the place. However, it's also inventive and has some cracked moments. I believe it's destined to have staying power. I say this knowing there are some serious Franzen haters out there, and also knowing that this isn't his best work by a long shot. But in 1988, Franzen wrote a novel that seems to have almost perfectly captured the paranoid, xenophobic, social and race conflict that surrounds President Obama (think birth certificate issues, etc.). Imagine while reading this novel that Obama is Jammu and the United States is St. Louis, and let the details flow from Ferguson to the Gateway Arch.







Franzen's fixation on the American family, both in its functionality and dysfunctionality, is in its embryonic stage here. Family dinners, tensions between spouses, extra-marital affairs, spoiled children, holiday tensions - it's all here. His prose is excellent, although a bit uneven, with some parts being brilliant and others a bit dull. His plot is complex, and his setting is masterfully done. Again, this isn't a masterpiece, but it's a clear indication of his future ambition and the direction he would take.

Franzen's first book is a rich tapestry of details, brimming with ideas. The characters, though perhaps not entirely sympathetic, inhabit the city of St. Louis, which is mired in political corruption and economic hardship. Amidst this turmoil is a young and ambitious police chief from India, Jammu, who has her own set of aspirations.

There are some truly amazing set pieces in the book, such as a car bomb, a terrorist bombing during a football game in a local stadium, kidnappings, and a burnt-out house. However, these do not fully compensate for the plethora of characters. The main ones are Jammu, the police chief, and Martin Probst, a developer who built the iconic Arch and is now overseeing the municipal mess. Jammu wants to merge St. Louis with the county in the name of Marxist socialism, while Probst, as a paragon of the status quo, opposes this.

Racism, crime, despoiled marriages, rebellious daughters, media saturation, and an arch-conservative general all play a part in this complex story. Chaos and violence erupt, but the public shows an indifference to these matters. When Marxist praxis rears its ugly head through Jammu's indoctrination, it proves to be ineffectual. As the book so vividly demonstrates, cities are not only built on ideas but can also have lives of their own within the body politic.

Being a die-hard fan of both The Corrections and Freedom, I was eager to delve into Franzen's earlier work. I began with The Twenty-Seventh City and was rather astonished by the significant differences compared to his later masterpieces. Instead of a satirical slice of American (family) life, this novel presents as a political thriller of sorts.

The story commences when S. Jammu, an Indian police officer with dual nationality, assumes the role of the head of the St. Louis police department. She hatches a devious conspiracy with the aim of amassing more power and wealth. Martin Probst, a highly respected local entrepreneur, finds himself more or less at the center of this web of intrigue, as Jammu attempts to win him over and thereby gain the necessary traction to direct all political and financial deals.

The novel's framework holds promise initially, but as the story progresses, it loses credibility. The conspiracy is like Swiss cheese, full of holes. There are numerous unanswered questions, countless loose ends, and far too many absurd twists. Franzen demands a great deal of good faith from his readers, yet there are simply too many elements that don't add up. He asks me to take leaps of faith too frequently, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a willing suspension of disbelief.

The novel's strength lies in its page-turning quality. As long as you're engrossed in reading, the flaws don't seem overly glaring. You just keep turning the pages, eager to discover what lies ahead. Although it's not a pure-blooded thriller, it reads like one, keeping you on the edge of your seat. However, when you take a moment to pause and reflect, the credibility crumbles like a house of cards. I don't wish to spoil too much, but what purpose do the conspiracy theorists serve if they contribute nothing实质性 to the story? Or how does Probst, a righteous and honest man, manage to change so abruptly when all the hardships he has endured haven't affected his ethics? As a reader, it's hard to swallow these plot developments.

Moreover, the conspiracy remains rather nebulous. You don't obtain a clear and distinct picture of its ultimate goal. Sure, you can attempt to piece it together on your own, but no matter how hard you try to connect the dots, the puzzle never quite fits perfectly. It simply doesn't add up at all!

I do understand that this is Franzen's debut novel, and he was still in the process of finding his unique voice. And I must admit that the seeds of his brilliant satirical observations, which reach full fruition in his later works, are very much present. The way he portrays the various families echoes the dysfunctional relationships seen in The Corrections or Freedom. So, it's interesting to witness Franzen's evolution as a writer. Technically, the novel is well-written, and it does have that page-turning allure. Nevertheless, the plot line is extremely shaky and lacks credibility, and the narrative is filled with holes. It's an interesting debut novel for fans, but in my opinion, it's not an essential addition to your personal reading list. If you haven't explored Franzen's work yet and are keen to discover his talent, I would highly recommend The Corrections or Freedom.

I'm not entirely certain that I truly understood this book, to be honest. However, I did find it interesting to compare it with the same author's "The Corrections", which is one of my all-time favorite novels. In my view, this book belongs to the "Abuse of the Novel Form" category (previously occupied only by John Irving). It attempts to expand its universe too extensively and stuff in an excessive amount of detail and description.

The Twenty-seventh City never quite fills the space that Franzen has created for it. As a result, it becomes difficult to care about what occurs in St Louis or to its inhabitants. In contrast, by the time of "The Corrections", Franzen has mastered this aspect. His family of three adult children and their parents appears to be a more expansive and imaginative universe compared to that of "The Twenty-Seventh City". Moreover, it is comprehensively populated by five individuals whose individual and collective destinies fully engage the reader.

The rating has been bumped up to 2 stars due to Franzen's characteristic wonderful turns of phrase. These phrases add a certain charm and elegance to the otherwise somewhat lackluster narrative. Overall, while "The Twenty-Seventh City" may not be on par with "The Corrections", it still has its redeeming qualities, especially for fans of Franzen's writing style.