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Panorama City (2012)

by Antoine Wilson(Favorite Author)

3.57 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0547875126 (ISBN13: 9780547875125)

languge

English

genre

Humor

publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

review 1: Without having read many reviews, it seems likely that an easy comparison for Oppen's character would be Forrest Gump - a curious, benevolent, simple man whose quest to become a 'man of the world' propels him through the lives of many different characters whose lives he changes in unexpected ways, and vice versa. But the more I read, the more I thought of Ignatius J. Reilly. Absent the harsh judgment of Reilly, but with an internal monologue of observation and reflection, adventures of both high and low comedy lead Oppen from one beautifully crafted setting to the next. For me, at least, Gump's travels through history became gimmicky and the point in and of themselves. With Oppen, we're limited to more or less 40 days, which leaves more time for Wilson to develop theme... mores and enrich Oppen's character rather than focusing on historical events and figures. I loved the narrative structure and conceit, as well as the biblical overtones, neither of which distracted from the entertaining story. Buried within this seemingly simple-minded character's monologue are hefty philosphical ideas and observations on life, love, god and life's purpose. Acutely rendered descriptions of Panorama City and Southern California, wholly-formed characters and a pervasive sense of absurd humor made this a fantastic read. Part satire, part picaresque and completely entertaining, Panorama City shines from beginning to end.
review 2: On surface, there is much in this book that would absolutely drive me crazy; plots that seemingly don't go anywhere, characters of not much redeeming value. However, the character of Oppen Porter, the narrator in this book, truly had me cheering for him within the first couple of pages, and so, I was willing to go on the ride. Part religious parable, part philosophical examination, part adventure story, Wilson deftly handles the story by focusing on Oppen's delightfully innocent reactions to the world around him. I loved this book; but I'm not sure I would go out and recommend this to everyone. However, I found this to be an enjoyable use of reading time. less

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