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The Collective (2012)

by Don Lee(Favorite Author)

3.52 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0393083217 (ISBN13: 9780393083217)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

W. W. Norton & Company

review 1: I was surprised by how much this book engaged me. I do love novels about college friends and lovers, would-be artists, the influence of larger-than-life personalities over their peers, sexual discovery and the mystery of suicide. (It's in Chapter one so not a spoiler!) Lee's novel reads light, but raises deeper thoughts, especially as Eric and Jason's actions make you start to realize "these guys can be real jerks." Yet I cared about this trio of characters, their conversations and challenges. The race issues were also interesting, and not something I'd given much thought to. They rang true to my own experience in that some of these Asian Americans had not suffered from racist attacks or slurs, while others had been victimized, and their own sensitivity levels differed. T... moreheir coming-of-age was complicated by doubts about interracial dating and questions of their identities/responsibilities of being "Asian American" artists. I would like to read more of Lee's fiction as he is so adept at portraying complex relationships, and I enjoyed his sense of humor.
review 2: Interesting tension between monocultural writing vs pancultural. Book relies in parallels to show development and decline. Confrontation at macalaster w Kathryn newey parallel 3ac confrontation w Esther xing. Racial slurs at macalaster parallel racist words of barboza. Text critical of elitism of Jessica Joshua and Eric while hinting through other characters that racism thy combat is real. Finish 11/30/2013 less

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