In Which Theodore Entertains But Ultimately Disappoints

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Being in my Essex exile looking after my mother means that there are periods where I have nothing to do but of course restricted as to what I can do. Which means that reading is one of those things that passes the time.

So a few days back I mentioned that I was reading Theodore Dreiser's 1912 novel The Financier and today, whilst my mother was asleep,I finished it off.

The book chronicles part of the life of Frank Cowperwood, the financier of the title. There are various problems with it but let me explain one thing. It is readable. When you're in the position of having to constantly look at someone to make sure they're OK and yet still find yourself in 19th century Philadelphia with no difficulty then that is the mark of a storyteller.

However there are problems. The relationship between men and women which is complex in Young Carrie or Jennie Gerhardt is much more simplistic and traditional here. It also in passing suggests an unacceptable view of African Americans. I'm not clear here whether it's the author's personal views or that of his character, but it's still unacceptable.

The central character is the sort of J R type figure that we have read or seen time after time after time again. And the trouble with it is that leaving aside your political objections for a moment you know that no matter how objectionable the character is. The author admires him. And I'm afraid Theo falls into that category.

And for the reader the other real objection to this book is this. The ending is rushed. It just has the feeling of knots having been tied.

It's as if Theo couldn't be bothered. He just wanted to move on to the second book in the trilogy The Titan, which is the book I'm reading now. The title alone gives me too much of an idea as to what I'm reading.

I hope I'm wrong.

Until the next time.