Tree of Smoke: A Novel by Denis Johnson
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Book Reviews of Tree of Smoke: A Novel
Book Review: Blowing Smoke
Summary: 2 Stars
After closely reading the first 250 pages of Denis Johnson's 624-page Vietnam War novel and skimming the rest, I returned it to the library in three pieces. The recently published $27 hardback was literally falling apart, thanks to a cheaply glued--not stitched--spine. The librarian said he devoted part of each day to repairing such shoddy new publications. Alas, the book's substance didn't hold together any better.
I'd seen "Tree of Smoke" praised to high heaven in a New York Times review and touted in dust-jacket blurbs by folks like Philip Roth, who should know better. Its wooden characters creaked, its plot failed to materialize after 75,000 words, and its imprecise and arrhythmic language tripped me up time and again, forcing me back to reread sentences in an attempt to figure out what the hell they meant. Boredom soon set in. And this is a novel nominated for the National Book Award, which raised my expectations. I should have known better, having suffered through leaden nominees of previous years.
Book Review: Not A Vietnam Novel
Summary: 2 Stars
I picked up this novel because I thought it was about Vietnam. As it turns out, it was this author's fantasy of his presumption of Vietnam. I also thought he had been to Vietnam, and it turns out that he was not. Aside from some obvious errors (he names F-16 aircraft which did not exist), this is a pretentious acid trip novel. To be sure, there are moments of odd, almost mystical writing, but they are well buried in page after page of the dense quagmire of this author's mind.
As a bit of fantasy nonsense, this is adequate, but it is hardly any definitive story about the Vietnam war. I noticed it was lauded by major critics, who knowing nothing about Vietnam, jumped aboard this yellow submarine with Johnson and presumed they were being taken for a truth ride.
As a weird fantasy trip, this novel is an interesting time-waster. As anything serious, its a waste of time.
Book Review: Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
After all the hype about this one I couldn't wait to read it when published in paperback. I've read thousands and thousands of books in my life and hardly ever give up, but I gave up on this one about a fourth of the way. It should have been titled "Impressions of Smoke" because it was just about as vague, wandering, and lost. I'm not asking to have everything spelled out for me, but this one was all over the place. Worst of all, it has no heart, its characters unknowable and uninteresting. Maybe as an allegory of the Vietnam experience it works, but I could never find the thread.Book Review: not another vietnam novel
Summary: 2 Stars
The book has some patches of good writing, and it does suck the reader in. However, one soon realizes that one is trapped in a swamp of shallow characters and murky events. The portrayal of the war seems to owe more to repeated watching of Apocalypse Now than any direct or original insights. The reality is much more weird and stunning than fiction, so you're better off reading histories and biographies.Book Review: Boring - stereotypic characters - unengaging plot
Summary: 1 Stars
I wish I'd read BR Myers' review in the Atlantic (Dec 2007) before I bought this book. His review was titled "A Bright Shining Lie," and he nails how I feel about "Tree of Smoke." [...].
I read a LOT and widely. I rarely hate a book, but I truly hated this one. I never cared about or was engaged with the one-dimensional, unauthentic characters. I could not relate to a single one of them. One can't get to know the characters because there is nothing to know.
The plot seemed, well, not there. I never felt dramatic tension or cared what happened next.
There is no sense of place that matters - the setting is a jungle or a village close to a jungle. It doesn't matter whether it's the Philippines or Vietnam. The author may describe water dripping off leaves, but there is no feeling connected to the location.
The author surely wasn't in Vietnam. Factual errors add to the biased view of who served in the Vietnam: poor, stupid high school dropouts; idealistic midwestern patriot (Skip), psycho, over-the-hill, Dr. Strangelove CIA operative, inscrutable Vietnamese, mysterious German assassin, crazy missionary. Honestly, there isn't one nuanced character in this book.
Why would this book add anything to a discussion of the Vietnam War? Why would anyone think this is the BEST book about the Vietnam War? "Tree of Smoke" is pathetic in comparison to Mailer's "The Naked and the Dead" or O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" or Herr's "Dispatches." The book gave no insights into a war that, unfortunately, still defines my generation.
I disagree with another reviewer that this book reflects American disillusionment after World War II. "Tree of Smoke" never reaches the level of generalization because it is so flat and has so little to say.
That this won the National Book Award is just amazing. What were they thinking? Save your money and rent "Apocalypse Now." Marlon Brandon plays a much more interesting psycho, and the movie, at least, has great music.