Rating: 
Summary: Philip Marlowe's orphan brother with a tic - Barnumumbailey
Review: In obvious homage to Raymond Chandler's form - even quoting directly from several of his books - Lethem has created a very creative, highly readable, unique take on the classic detective novel. The first person narrative from the mind of a Tourette's is the real engine that drives this vehicle, but Lethem also does a pretty fair job of building up and playing out the detective story that frames the plot. The book as a whole is written at a level that defies categorization and truly deserves the recognition that it has received as valued literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Lethem just gets better and better!
Review: While As She Climbed Across the Table kept Lethem pigeonholed as a science fiction writer, Motherless Brooklyn, his latest outing, has proven to critics and bookstore owners what Lethem fans have known for a long time - he belongs on the literature shelf. Motherless Brooklyn is, for many people, Lethem's first "real" book because it deals with real-life situations. However, a true Lethem reader will find a common thread, a singular voice that has been around since he wrote Gun with Occasional Music.
Rating:
Summary: Modern Classic Literature
Review: Listen up educators...If MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN was taught in high school English classes--instead of the outdated, stuffy works of Plato and Shakespeare and Homer, and any other "classic" that today's youth can't relate to--we would have more literate people in our society, better educated folks who would be eager to keep reading for pleasure, not just because it's assigned for homework. This is a spendid book, and that's a huge understatement. I'm an avid reader of crime/mystery novels and that's the main reason why I even picked it up. It's disguised as a detective novel. When I read it, though, it was so much more. I realized what a clever idea it was to veil it in this genre. Mysteries are the most-read books, which immediately provides a lareg pool of potential readers. This novel eclipes almost all of the genre, though, except for a few, like Dennis Lehane. In fact, it's almost embarassing, as if to say, here's a detective novel that has something to say, not just a bang-em-up, shoot-em-out book that's all too common these days. This book has plot, it has depth, it has tenderness. It makes you turn the pages and care for the character, Lionel Essrog. He's a kind of Holden Caufield with Tourette's. The book not only helps you to understand Tourette's, but because it's written in first person you get inside the head of someone who has to deal with Tourette's. Contrary to popular belief, Tourette's isn't necessarily where people just yell and curse all the time. This can happen, but it's the most extreme case of it. It's a complusion, a need to touch, feel, speak. A lack of control over impulses that the rest of us can control. For Mr. Lethem to write a book about an orphan-cum-detective, and the close-knit Mafia-wannabe family that takes him in, is a world-class accomplishment. Lionel's tics, which revolve around a compulsion for language, gives Lethem a chance to work with words without rules, like a painter uses colors, without being awkward or showy. This is a modern masterpiece. If this story was in an easily accesible medium for today's watered-down society, like a movie, everyone would know about it. But it isn't, and besides it would loose its depth and meaning and personability that only a book can offer. MOTHERLESS BROOKLKYN pushes the boundaries of the mystery genre, of fiction, of art. Long live Jonathan Lethem. Anyone who could read this book and not like doesn't know what a good book is. Buy it right now, and then pass it on.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful tourette's character study; so-so mystery
Review: i was drawn to this book primarily because i like a good mystery. but i'll remember it for a long time because of the fascinating, hysterical and touching portrayal of Lionel Essrog, the private eye and Tourette's Syndrome sufferer at the center of this story. he's not one of those people who simply barks out obscenities all the time (he only does that occasionally). what's going on inside lionel's head is altogether more complex. when people speak to him their words bounce around inside his skull, metamorphising and reforming into new phrases which emit from his lips ten to the dozen. it would seem like the ultimate form of creativity, were it not for the fact that there's not a thing lionel can do to stop it. his affliction extends beyond words too - he is endlessly needled by the urge to touch things (like people's shoulders) a certain number of times. it all sounds a bit weird and made up, but in the hands of this author and in the words of lionel essrog, it's just everyday brooklyn life. jonathan lethem has done an amazing job here. he puts us inside the kind of mind few people even know exists. and then through the color and supreme naturalness of his writing allows us to not only feel what lionel feels, but actually understand how a mind like his works (or at least think we do). as a mystery, motherless brooklyn is okay, but the ending is disappointing. as an insight into the tourettic mind it's absolutely brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Read.
Review: This is a great book. Lionel tells his story, complete with Tourette's interruptions, of how he tracks down the killers of his mentor and father-figure. The Tourette's alone makes the story fascinating, as you watch Lionel struggle with his syndrome during conversations with people who do not understand why he does what he does (tics). The murder and intrigue top it off. Great read, highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Motherless BBBrooklyn
Review: While reading Motherless Brooklyn don't be surprised if you start rattling off rhymes and make alliterations to words being spoken when spending time with friends. I caught myself saying blockbuster flockfluster mockmusterr, much like the main character, Lionel Essrogg, fessrogg tesstog. The most interesting part of this novel is Tourette's syndrome which Lionel has, and the effects and details Lethem gives of the disease. Lionel is like a watch wound up too tight, an itch waiting to be scratched, and I never tired of the brilliant connecting thoughts and comedian like thinking displayed by his thought process. While the plot was slightly boring and the word Tourette existing on every page, Motherless Brooklyn is worth reading for the insight and experience of living like a man with Tourettes. Lethem never details what it is like to be an orphan, nor explains being devoted entirely to one man, Frank Minna, Lionel's boss, yet he definitely delves into the unknown world of Tourettes, hotdogs with papaya juice, and New York sandwiches....
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Summary: Interesting premise, but a bland book
Review: Jonathan Lethem clearly is a talented young writer, and his guiding concept in creating *Motherless Brooklyn* is promising, indeed. I finished the book disappointed, however, as all three of its apparent main elements simply were not presented adequately. First of all, the book is supposed to be a different sort of "detective mystery." I cannot imagine, however, that fans of Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, or Sue Grafton would find the structure or plot of Lethem's mystery particularly gripping. No, this novel asks that readers be pulled along not on the basis of any edge-of-your-seat twists and turns in the plot, but because of its supporting literary aspects, i.e., its characters, descriptions of places, etc. Here again, however, I felt that Lethem came up short in *Motherless Brooklyn*. His descriptions of "life growing up as orphans in 1970's Brooklyn" and then of contemporary Brooklyn generally emerge as remarkably bland and uncompelling. Overall, his characters emerge as shallow and unmemorable. To me, both the most interesting and yet also disappointing aspect of the novel was the third main element of the book, Lethem's development of his protagonist, Lionel Essrog, whose affliction with Tourette's syndrome provides much, if not most of the book's actual content. Lethem has surely done a fine job of capturing many of the details of the behaviors that a Tourette's sufferer exhibits, including the endlessly varied and creative verbal outbursts. I comment Lethem for the research and care he evidently put into this aspect of his work. However, Lionel ultimately lacks sufficient depth as a character. He actually emerges overall as a "regular guy" who happens to suffer from uncontrollable tics. I doubt that in real life, this would be the case. To go through one's life being a "human freakshow" ALWAYS and to consequently suffer the scorn, ridicule, and uncomfortable reactions from others would, it seem to me, take a deeper toll on one's psyche than we see in Lionel Essrog. The internal monolog that Lethem attributes to Lionel is surprisingly bland, and includes remarkably little *angst*, shame, frustration, or real human depth overall. The Tourette's aspect of the book comes across ultimately as an interesting gimmick, and as such actually becomes a bit tiresome after the first hundred pages or so. Overall, Lethem has created a highly readable work based on an original and unusual set of premises and circumstances, but his execution of his ideas proved disappointing to me.
Rating:
Summary: Knockout
Review: What can I say that hasn't been said before? This is a great book. BUY IT. I can also offer some side advice for specific genre lovers: The mystery side of this is good, but if you are strict mystery buff, this book will be enjoyable but may not knock your socks right off. It stands as a perfectly middle of the road mystery on its own right. Lethem lovers will adore this book for its use of language and odd pace, that moves along in the frame of Lionel, the Touretic hero. This is his strongest book yet, and shows Lethem's true range. If you are a fan of his early work, particularly the harder SF stuff, don't be discouraged-- although less murky and mysterious, this book is so offbeat, the language-warping is so charming, and the protagonist so different, you can't help but be sucked in. Book lovers in general should find this book unusual, but extremely readable. If you are unfamiliar with Lethem, and unsure if this is for you, then at least be aware this is probably your best "entry" to his non-science-fiction works. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Sinister Mystery Weed
Review: Motherless Brooklyn is Johnathan Lethem's homage to/parody of the hard-boiled detective fiction of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, with a twist: the novel's protagonist, Lionel Essrog (what a great name!), has Tourette's syndrome. Lionel's Tourette's causes him to, among other things, bark like a dog, compulsively pat other people on the shoulder, and spout out nonsensical phrases, an example of which gives this review its title (another favorite of mine is "Lancelot ancillary oscillope!"). I'm not sure what to say about Motherless Brooklyn, except I can't remember the last time I had this much fun reading a novel. Someone apparently forgot to tell Mr. Lethem that "serious fiction" isn't supposed to be entertaining and funny. Here's hoping no one ever does.
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Summary: a funny gangster story? read on....
Review: 'Motherless Brooklyn' is certainly a refreshing novel. It's about young (and likeable) juvenile deliquents who grow up under the care of a gangster (..who calls himself a private investigator). When this gangster gets murdered these kids (now young men) need to finally do some real investigation work of their own. The reader is taken on a bizarre, and funny, journey involving Zen buddhism and murder. Great stuff. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this book is that the narrator, one of the juvenile deliquents, has Tourette's Syndrome. This poor fellow has the uncontrollable urge to shout out (often rude and very funny) nonsense at absolutely the wrong moments. The author actually treats him with compassion rather than ridicule; I don't think sufferers of this condition will feel exploited. Bottom line: a thoroughly engaging read. Good story, great characterizations.
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