Sunday, February 16, 2014

Books Set in Europe and the United States

Hunting Midnight, by Richard Zimler (2003)

I had read The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler several years ago.  I was completely taken by that novel and was looking forward to reading other works by the author.

Hunting Midnight, however, did not live up to my expectations.  The author seemed to try to take on too much.  The book begins with John Zarco Stewart, a young boy living in Portugal.  His father is Scottish and his mother, who is from Portugal is Jewish, although John is raised without a religion.  John's father brings Midnight, an African bushman, into the family home.  Midnight befriends the family and brings with him the mystical tales of Africa.  Later, Midnight is sold into slavery and shipped to South Carolina.  John, the adult, learns of this and goes to America in an attempt to find his friend and teacher, Midnight.

It was very far-fetched, as the story went from post-Inquisition Portugal to antebellum America.

Three Stars
Read: February 16, 2014

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