When I started reading Nobody’s Fool, I thought it would be my favourite of Richard Russo’s books (that is, better than Empire Fallsand Straight Man). But I had forgotten that that was how I felt about those books at the beginning, too. That’s something about Russo’s books; the plot slows down towards the last quarter.
I really enjoy this premise. A wealthy, suburban neighbourhood with a lot of pompous people who don’t realize they are the world’s biggest losers and jerks? Sign me up for that tongue-in-cheek humour. Yes, it’s heavy on the male and middle-aged characters, but in my opinion it makes fun of them so much that this choice works.
Overall, I’m a fan of Russo’s plots, characters and writing style. It’s his endings I find chronically weak. This is a 550-page novel that could have been about 450 pages. The ending drags out and doesn’t seem to reach a climax that is cohesive with but amps up the atmosphere and premise of the rest of the novel.
Normally, when I start to think “I wish this book would end,” I don’t rate it 4 stars, but the first three-fourths of this book deserve 5 stars.
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