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The Story of Huck Finn's No-Account Father |
| Section: BOOK WORLD / REVIEWS |
| Author: John Greenya |
| Publication: The world & I online |
| Issue Date: 9/1/2007 |
| Size: 1,048 Words, 6,006 Characters |
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FINN
By Jon Clinch
Random House, $23.95, 287 pages
Did you ever wonder about the families of some of literature's most memorable characters? Say Ahab's mother? Or Holden Caulfield's own kids? Or Emma Bovary's quiet twin? Normally, I'm put off by writers who play that game, and downright annoyed by authors who want me to meet JFK at age 75, but Jon Clinch's Finn is a shining exception.
But I shouldn't kid around, because this is in no way a frivolous exercise on the part of the author. Random House's debut novel of the spring, it's a serious work of fiction, a book so fine you'd think it was written by a seasoned novelist at the top of his powers. It's by turns funny and profane, gross and poetic, informative and mystifying...
. . .
...most all the action takes place on or near the Mississippi River, that grand and terrible symbol of America, then and now.
Jon Clinch owes the idea of his central character to the book by Mark Twain, but what he has made of that character is entirely original, very powerful and simply wonderful. I can't wait to see what this writer does next.
Copyright © 2007 The Washington Times, LLC.
(769 of 6,006 characters)
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