The Watermelon King : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Baby Tubbs says Yes!
Review: With Watermelon King, Wallace builds on Big Fish and Ray in Reverse by writing what is the most cohesive novel of the trio. Publisher's Weekly called it a "slight mistep," I call that a "slight misread." Come on. He's at his best here, combining the best of that staitforward storytelling seen in O'Conner, the strong regional construction of Faulkner, and the magical realism of Marquez. Unlike, say... Rushdie, Wallace avoids using magical realism in an apish, overwhelming way, but rather puts it in service of the story. He takes it over the top just enough. This book pushes the limits of genre, avoiding the perimeters of most of the bland treacle that we submit our eyes to. You oughta read it. Great book.