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Yes, a fantastic book. The way historical novels should be—it rewards, but does not demand, knowledge of the period—and although Gold has obviously done extensive research, he never shoves it at you in a show-offy sort of way.
Like using "Fun In High Skule," who were in fact the Marx Brothers, as background characters. If you don't know that they were the Marx Brothers, it doesn't effect your enjoyment of the book as you're reading it. If you find it out later, then you go "Holy shit!" and immediately go back and re-read all the sections they were in. And if you know your Marx Brothers trivia before you start reading carter Beats the Devil, then get a little extra chuckle.
A lesser writer would tip his hand with an expository sentence or two...
"You know," said Julius, "I've been thinking we should change the name of the act. What's wrong with 'The Marx Brothers'?"
...or some other such cack. Gold is a wise and graceful writer.
And the section on young Charles's first escape—the snowbound house, the drunken caretaker, the rusty torture devices—Christ, it's been a year since I read the book and it gives me chills just thinking about it. |
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