I’ve just about had my fill of fiction books devoted to the Kennedy assassination. Yet since I needed to read a novel involving a family road trip for my local library’s bingo, I took this on.
Lou Berney is one of those writers I should like more than I do. He writes fun, detailed crime novels that are well-paced and hold my attention. But I couldn’t even get through half of The Long and Faraway Gone. I was curious as to why. Reading the slimmer November Road provided me the answer: Berney’s dialogue and characterization are lacking.
There’s nothing bad with either, per se. They just don’t move me. It’s a competently written book, one that plays all the notes correctly but can’t bring the song to life. His main character, Guidry, feels fully realized. Kinda sorta Charlotte too. But beyond them? Meh. A whole lot of meh.
Still, he is a competent writer and this book was a fun read. Though I could anticipate what would happen in the next twist or turn, it didn’t feel completely rote. I got a good picture of the American southwest in 1963, which is a geography Berney appears to know well. And the ending was good, better than I anticipated it would be.
However, none of that can make up for the feeling that this should have been better than it actually was. Again, competence is worth something and I’ve given 4-stars to books that aren’t as competent as this. But grading on a bit of a curve, it lands at 3 and I don’t feel conflicted.