Rating: 
Summary: don't read my review- read the book
Review: I hardly know what appealed to me most about "Girl in Landscape"- what I do know is that when I finished the last page, I wondered if I would ever again feel as powerfully moved by a novel. Lethem's alien world is an exciting, engaging setting. The Archbuilders themselves evoke laughs at some times; at others they seem deeply unknowable and therefore deeply frightening. One of the implications of the novel, however, seems to be that human nature can be infinitely more frightening than alien nature. Indeed, the object of Pella's tormented, adolescent affection, Efram Nugent, is a stormy, violent, iconoclastic man- but that mix is the source of his strange magnetism(who hasn't been drawn to the loner, the wild and untamed in the midst of the mindless herd?). The combination of disgust and attraction Pella holds toward Efram is pulled off convincingly- I was just as disgusted as she by his actions, but Lethem's skill is such that I never questioned her attraction.
"Girl in Landscape" works on many levels- as a frontier tale, a science fiction novel, a coming-of-age story... though like many others I found the ending unsatisfying, the book is well worth reading. I wanted to see the Archbuilder landscape with my own eyes and, in all honesty, to meet Efram, to fully undergo the power of his spell. The book is an exciting, moving read.
Rating:
Summary: don't read my review- read the book
Review: I hardly know what appealed to me most about "Girl in Landscape"- what I do know is that when I finished the last page, I wondered if I would ever again feel as powerfully moved by a novel. Lethem's alien world is an exciting, engaging setting. The Archbuilders themselves evoke laughs at some times; at others they seem deeply unknowable and therefore deeply frightening. One of the implications of the novel, however, seems to be that human nature can be infinitely more frightening than alien nature. Indeed, the object of Pella's tormented, adolescent affection, Efram Nugent, is a stormy, violent, iconoclastic man- but that mix is the source of his strange magnetism(who hasn't been drawn to the loner, the wild and untamed in the midst of the mindless herd?). The combination of disgust and attraction Pella holds toward Efram is pulled off convincingly- I was just as disgusted as she by his actions, but Lethem's skill is such that I never questioned her attraction.
"Girl in Landscape" works on many levels- as a frontier tale, a science fiction novel, a coming-of-age story... though like many others I found the ending unsatisfying, the book is well worth reading. I wanted to see the Archbuilder landscape with my own eyes and, in all honesty, to meet Efram, to fully undergo the power of his spell. The book is an exciting, moving read.
Rating:
Summary: Girl is the landscape
Review: I have read all the Lethem books and I must say this one was up there with Amnesia Moon as the most complex. The story of a young girl's coming of age seemed an odd topic for Lethem, but once you added in the futuristic world and the typical Lethem oddness of chracters it all fell into place. The young girl is forced to mature quicker than all the other charcters in the book, even the Adults. As the world as her world slowly begins to foucus on her, and her alone, she knows that she must take responsiblity for all those around her. This a departure from Gun and Amensia Moon, but it's still a terrific novel. I recommend it to all Lethem fans and fans to be alike!
Rating: 
Summary: Lolita on the Homestead...
Review: I like Lethem or at least the books I have read by him so far: Motherless Brooklyn and Gun, with Occasional Music. However, Girl in Landscape is not just one of Lethem's lesser works but a horrible novel in general. The book fails to solidify, while allegedly a mixture of sci-fi and western, the book is just another western with all the standard clichés in tact. The sci-fi part could be thrown out and no one would be the wiser; substitute Indians for aliens and nothing changes. Also while the back cover of my book mentions "the sexual tension of Lolita" let's not kid ourselves Lethem all but lifts entire passage from Lolita. The book does not capture "the sexual tension of Lolita" rather it paraphrases entire parts (Compare the scene with Pella and Efram on Efram's couch and Humbert Humbert and Lolita on Humbert's couch). People have commented on the originality of this book I just don't see it. After reading about 30 pages of the book one should be able to tell how the book will end and how all the characters will play out. Furthermore, I don't know if it's just me but if this novel is an accurate portrayal of a 13-year-old girl then the human race is doomed.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a good book, you should read it
Review: I was very amazed and moved by this book, "Girl in Landscape," where Jonathan Lethem writes about a fourteen-year-old girl named Pella Marsh from Brooklyn, who has to move to a recently discovered planet. Since her mother has died, and she hates her father, she is virtually left alone with no one to talk to besides her two brothers who are way to young to understand her. At the new planet, the struggle and fighting between the humans and the Archbuilders (the original inhabitants of the new planet) shows that human nature itself is corrupt and that humans have a bad habit of leaving out people or "things" that are different. In a way this book reminded me a little of the book "The Lord of the Flies" because of the way Lethem shows human nature as not being so pretty, and because of the violence that goes on in the book. Pella is the kind of person that hates the fighting that goes around her and wants to change it. Her actions are so powerful that it is unbelievable she is only fourteen. She is forced to be strong and mature because of what goes on around her. But it is not just her that is powerful, but also the setting, plot, and characters are all powerful.
This book is really good because Lethem makes the planet and the inhabitants so real. The way he makes up all the setting makes me really surprised that someone can make such a realistic setting out of his or her imagination alone. I also enjoyed the story, because while the book was about science fiction, Pella's life makes it a drama as well. The one thing that I did not enjoy was the fact that the ending was a little bit rough. I did not think that the book should have ended that way, even though others may differ. I thought that the book would have a little more of a nicer conclusion to it. But other than that, I really loved and enjoyed this book. When I read this, it made me feel like reading all Lethem's other books as well. When I finished the book, I knew that I made the right decision to read this book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good and powerful book, because it really changed me and sticks with me. I think that this book will amaze anyone who reads it.
Rating:
Summary: Deep and Compelling
Review: Jonathan Lethem has shown an amazing command of different genres, from the pulp "Gun, With Occasional Music" to the road trip "Amnesia Moon" to the twisted romance of "As She Climbed Across the Table." To call Lethem a Science Fiction Author is to do him a grave disservice by limiting the great scope of his small body of work."Girl with Landscape" is a of coming-of-age western set on a dreary planet with the ruins of an alien civilization. Pella Marsh, the central character, represents innocent youth, but also the strength of youth that most adults refuse to acknowledge. The characters are all too real, especially in their bigotry and hatred, and the aliens are well-thought out, garnering are sympathy and occasionally our irritation and even disgust. No lines are drawn clearly and no easy routes are taken in this novel. It's dreary and dark, but a brilliant work worth reading by anyone who likes good writing and a good story.
Rating:
Summary: Deep and Compelling
Review: Jonathan Lethem has shown an amazing command of different genres, from the pulp "Gun, With Occasional Music" to the road trip "Amnesia Moon" to the twisted romance of "As She Climbed Across the Table." To call Lethem a Science Fiction Author is to do him a grave disservice by limiting the great scope of his small body of work. "Girl with Landscape" is a of coming-of-age western set on a dreary planet with the ruins of an alien civilization. Pella Marsh, the central character, represents innocent youth, but also the strength of youth that most adults refuse to acknowledge. The characters are all too real, especially in their bigotry and hatred, and the aliens are well-thought out, garnering are sympathy and occasionally our irritation and even disgust. No lines are drawn clearly and no easy routes are taken in this novel. It's dreary and dark, but a brilliant work worth reading by anyone who likes good writing and a good story.
Rating:
Summary: Yet Another Amazing Jonathan Lethem Science Fiction Novel
Review: Jonathan Lethem's "Girl In Landscape" is yet another spellbinding high wire literary act in which he shows his tremendous gift for prose and creating memorable characters and settings. Here he has written a space opera version of a classic Western (Think John Ford's "The Searchers" meets Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" and you'll get my point.). Teenage protagonist Pella Marsh must contend with the mysterious world of the Archbuilders while trying to impress tormented loner Efram Nugent. Lethem places his characters in a believable setting quite akin to 19th Century American West. This is the most original twist I've read so far on such time-worn science fiction themes as colonizing other worlds and first contact with alien civilizations.
Rating: 
Summary: not the story for me.
Review: Letham still writes quite well, and his imagination still astounds, but I just didn't like this one that much. I just couldn't identify with any of the aspects of the story. I was never a girl coming of age having a power struggle with the adults around me, and I never lost a parent at a young age. I also was never froced to move very far away from home to someplace strange. I was never much of a spy as a child either. So in the end all I had was a odd landscape against which a fairly depressing story was staged. If you can identify with any of the above experiences you might like this book more than I did. I won't say it was bad, but I wish I hadn't shelled out hardcover price. (something I'd gladly do again for Amnesia moon)
Rating:
Summary: Achieving the Impossible
Review: Lethem has attempted some very difficult goals in "Girl in Landscape," but by and large he succeeds admirably. * Writing a believable 13-year old girl * Creating another habitable planet * Describing a non-human culture * Moving between a dream state and waking reality without the seams showing Lethem is so deft in his tightrope act that I found myself exclaiming "Wow" aloud several times while reading. His skill is palpable, but the book never comes off as flashy or bragging. In fact, aside from a uncharacteristically weak dénouement, the book is nearly perfect.
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