Review: Magnificent and Praise-Worthy Prose
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 16, 2014
There are some books that leave you breathless, exhausted, and inspired, while most simply leave you reaching for another tome. Lazarus is absolutely a member of the former group, and while there will certainly be moments where you are unclear as to what you just read, push on. This is the sort of book that looks intimidating and will be intimidating, but it is also an essential read for lovers of words and those who worship the many forms that telling a story can take. I absolutely loved Lazarus because it approached life as we live it: brutal, unpredictable, and impossibly fleeting. There were enough layers of meaning and intention in this epic southern saga to make Joyce and Faulkner tip a cap and the at-times melodic, experimental, and powerful prose dragged readers forward through something truly memorable.I had never heard of Akley, nor read his work, but am always intrigued by a weighty and heady book. This certainly fit the bill in both regards. Watching a family rise and fall in America, as Hawthorne might say, is like watching the story of an entire nation encapsulated in the pain and pleasure of one bloodline, town, state, or relationship. Akley touched on a vast network of human emotions and left no choice for his readers but to pay attention, keep track of the perpetually swelling list of characters, and try not to miss the forest for the trees. It was a stunning story, told with impeccable prose, and will likely inspire you to find your own words to express the madness of the human condition. At the very least, you will leave understanding a bit more about what it means to live and die. Tremendous.