Containing nary an ill-chosen word, As Max Saw It may turn out to be the most perfectly constructed novel of 1994. Yes, there is a romantic triangle at the core of the novel, but it does not play out with the cliches of AIDS-aware contemporary fiction. But for all of Begley's talent and painstaking technique, the novel never transcends artifice.
Craftsmanship remains a wonderful virtue, but it's no substitute for genius.
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