Play Book Tag discussion

Taft by Ann Patchett - 2* - My Review

A black man named John Nickel runs a bar in Memphis. He meets Fay Taft and hires her as a server, despite the fact that he believes she is underage. Her brother, Carl, is mixed up with drugs. Their father (the titular Taft) has died, and their mother is not around. Nickel begins imagining the life of their father, though they had never met.

Nickel is an interesting character. He is an ex-drummer. He is estranged from his ex-girlfriend and mother of his son, who has moved to Miami. He made some mistakes earlier in life, which he acknowledges, but very much wants a relationship with his son. I think we are supposed to admire him but his actions make this difficult.

For me, the structure of this story does not work very well. It mixes up what is real (Nickel’s life) with what is imagined (Taft’s life with his kids). I am not sure I understood the point of the imagined storyline. Perhaps Nickel is dreaming a fatherhood he would like to have with his own son? If so, it was a weak link. I think it would have been much more effective if the storyline had focused on Nickel. The plot takes a strange twist toward the end, which did not work for me. It was okay but not Patchett’s best in my opinion.

That's too bad--it also has a lower average rating than most of her books, so I am guessing you're not alone.

Yes, I noticed the lower rating but sometimes I am out of step with the norm, so I thought I'd give it a try (I got the e-book on sale). I have enjoyed many of her books but this one is at the bottom of my list. My favorites (so far) are Bel Canto, State of Wonder, and The Dutch House.

I have loved many of her books and essays too, but this was not a favorite of mine either. You're not alone.