Freedomland: A Novel

This guy's my favourite fiction writer these days, and I think I've enjoyed this book more than any of his others I've read. Despite the cultural differences between us (I'm a country hermit on the Qld/NSW border, a long way from New York), I get much of his humour, and there's plenty in there to get, along with suspense, pathos, tragedy, and a whole lot of other feelings and moods that he creates so effortlessly - perhaps not but he makes it look effortless.I like also that he writes a story right to the end, without losing the realisticity (well may you underline in red) of its direction and arrival.My friends, if I had any, would I think see my tastes as somewhat alien so my recommendation may not be worth much to anyone, but I'm happy to go on record with it all the same.Keep writing Richard, it's a wasteland out there apart from your work.

This is not an easy book to get through because of the intense emotions and the bleak worlds it portrays. After I had finished Price's more recent novel, I was expecting more focus on the police and the victims of injustice and oppression, but this is much more. It is an opening up of a mind in turmoil, a much broader look at the variety of law enforcement players, and more realism on the paucity of options available in American society. It captures the humanity of so many people.

Having worked, gone to school & all but lived in Jersey City for years, I was drawn to reading this book that was inspired by the things the author saw when living there. It proved to be the riveting, dark, & gritty urban crime drama it is claimed to be. It struggles slightly at a few points in the middle as the story gets bogged down by the author's detailed character & scene development. However, it's worth it. The characters & location are so vividly developed that they never not seem to be real.

A fantastic, real novel from the master. Beautiful characters and a fascinating insight to the life of a police detective entrusted to cooperate with all parts of society. A great read.

Richard Price is a masterful storyteller. This one fictionalizes a true-life horrific crime that was both shocking and heartbreaking. The writing is mesmerizing. He's got street patois down perfectly, without sounding gimmicky or over-the-top. Highly recommend.

At 655 pages, the book weighs about 28 pounds, so don't look to this as "light" reading. It won't fit easily in a purse, and it's hard to grip if you're reading in bed at night and have to lie on your side to not wake the boyfriend.As big as it is, it sometimes feels claustrophobic because it follows, minute by excruciating minute, a series of events that take place over a few hot summer days. At times I wanted to scream, "Get me out of here!", wishing for a different book with breaks in the plot line, stretching the story out over weeks or months or changes of season.Nonetheless I couldn't put "Freedomland" down. Heavy as it is. It punched me in the gut more than once and by the end I felt as battered as most of the main characters.Everyone involved with this book, characters as well as readers, ends up bruised in some way, or dead.

Not particularly happy with this purchase because there is no audio narration. I need to hear my books, I listen while driving.

An overly-long, maddeningly slow novel with zero suspense and filigreed with detail masquerading as character development. A very disappointing novel by this usually fine author.

Price always reliably good

Decent condition , as described and very prompt deliveryWell satisfied thankyou

Very exciting! Very well written. I couldn't put it down. Read it in one day! I really related to the characters.

夜も更け行く頃転びそうな足取りでしかも擦り切れたような身体で何とか病院に辿り着いたBrenda Martin。彼女は黒人男性に車をハイジャックされ、しかも車の後部席には四才の息子Codyが乗っていたと語った。こんなところから話がスタートするので、これは誘拐された子供を救い出すサスペンスノベル、或いは犯人を追跡するストーリーかと思いながらページを繰りましたが、１００ページも読み進めたところで、全く私の思惑違いであることに気付きました。まあ私の好きな種類の小説ではありませんが、小説の質そのものがかなり高度なものであることは否定しようもありません。驚異的高密度の文章、まるで細密画を何枚も並べたようにデイテル部を丁寧に描写した小説作法には、正直驚かされました。ここまで詳細に書く必要があるのだろうかと頭を傾げたくなるほど一つ一つの場面を実に詳しく書き、そこから縦横無碍にストーリーを展開させています。又、右に左に揺れ今にも自己崩壊しそうになりつつ、何とか己を維持しているBrendaの姿には鬼気迫るものがあり、男性作家がこれほど見事に女性を描き出したのには驚愕させられました。ストーリーは四才児Codyの行方を捜査するLorenzo刑事と、事件の独占記事に貪欲な意を燃やす女性記者Jesseを柱に据えて進行しますが、これはクライムノベルと言うより、事件をきっかけとして燻りだした人種間対立や事件の周囲に蔓延る様々な人達の諸事情を浮き彫りにした社会小説と言ったほうが正鵠を得ているのではないかと思います。