Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips-The 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction WInner-An Honest Book Review

[@keikotalley4314]

I had read so many bad reviews that I went into this book with a lot of curiosity and apprehension, I absolutely loved it. It isn’t a historical fiction but I felt it portrays a period of time with many facets of that era well represented. The storylines were interwoven well, the characters were interesting and the I loved the lyricism of the sentences. I felt the author showed how ordinary people can become entangled in extraordinary circumstances and survive. The pieces of the book regarding the civil war I thought were appropriate. Writing about the healing that occurs over the breadth of the novel and with the characters. I didn’t feel the rape scene was overdone, and I felt it helped us realize what the trauma did to Eliza. Overall I felt the novel met the criteria for the Pulitzer and was deserving of the award. I also loved the actual passages that were included from the physician who was instrumental in the treatment modalities that were used at the actual asylum. I went into this book with reservations and finished it wondering why there is so much animosity towards it, like any other award, there can only be one winner even though many books are so deserving. .

[@madeubook]

Thanks for your thoughtful insight! I am so glad that you enjoyed it and it’s nice to see the book getting some love. It’s always refreshing to get opposing perspective and it proves the adage that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

[@CGyog]

Agree completely- I ended up loving it also and appreciate this work of literature, which is one of the first to make me want to visit a place in the setting (the mental health institution in West VA)

[@thaliad6759]

Your review of this book, which I highly respect, put the nail in the coffin in me having made the decision to pass on reading this book. It would be very interesting to hear what the Pulitzer judges were thinking when they awarded the prize to this book over some other very deserving books published last year.

[@madeubook]

I would love to be a fly on the wall as they are making those decisions. The Pulitzer is such a weird and secretive prize and I would really love to know what those conversations look like and how they determine what the list actually looks like. I am a huge fan of the Booker prize and I know that the judges have to read like a 150+ books and each time they go from long list to shortlist to the ultimate winner they have to re-read their choices. I would just really be interested to know the level of effort that actually goes into determining which books make the cut for the Pulitzer finalist list. I don’t think we will ever truly know.

[@lcapps7938]

tucker and ruach just kill me with adorableness I love them! ❤

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

I myself read the book, and even though it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I actually liked it. I think that it might be a book that could work better in a miniseries/movie version.

[@kazang856]

You did a superlative review of this book. Point bt point you laid out why this book is not worth the Pulitzer. I also agree with you about the rape scene. This is my first visit but i will look forward discovering more from you.

[@madeubook]

Thank you! It had such potential and is still one of my most disappointing reads so far this year.

[@patriciarodilosso6561]

Great review.

[@Winterknits]

I felt very much the same as you about this book. I wanted to like it but that was not the case…. When I looked at Goodreads reviews just after the Pulitzer announcement, there were lots of very positive reviews, maybe reading through some of those would bring different perspectives (didn’t for me though, I thought this book had very few redeeming qualities).

[@madeubook]

Thanks for this! I will check out what some of the Goodreads reviews say and see if I can be swayed. Although, I am feeling more validated then ever…. I was at a bookstore last night and there was a customer that picked up Night Watch and another customer told them to save their money and started directing them to like five other books that they thought were superior. I just chuckled to myself and watched the whole thing play out. It looked like they eventually settled on Absolution by Alice McDermott (which I have yet to read) so I hope they enjoy it! 😂

[@iamtherealjulia]

Totally agree with you that 'The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store' and 'North Wood' should have had a better chance at winning. Do these Pulitzer people even read?? What a shit show with this book. Not one positive review so far that I have heard. Thank you for always reviewing bad books with kindness and respect. You really stand out among the reviewing masses with your style this way!

[@madeubook]

Thank you for the kind words! I try to be as fair as possible and it is very rare that I can’t find at least one good thing to say about a book even if it wasn’t a favorite.

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

Thank you for this review, I DNFed this way before Pulitzer, I didn't get too far and I completely forgot it. Seeing it win and then everybody hate it, well that coloured me intrigued, you have convinced me not to try it again.

[@madeubook]

Don’t do it!!! Haha! I still can’t believe this actually won 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@StephanieP1901]

I keep seeing this everywhere I go, and it’s a shame it isn’t better. I don’t know if I even want to give it a chance - there are too many other books I want to read.

[@madeubook]

I think I am going to give one of her other books a try. I did like her writing style and my distaste for this book was really plot and character focused. I have heard wonderful things about her book Lark and Termite and I think that it might be one that I will enjoy more. I’ll let you know what I think if I get to it.

[@jeanniepawlowski265]

I've been reading her other books since MACHINE ĎREAMS 30 years ago. I loved her work. However, I didn't get wtf this story was about. It was actually unpleasant to read to the last page. Who were the judges on this? It certainly did not meet the so-called criteria for what is supposed to be the best book of the year.

[@madeubook]

Thanks for the comment! I’m glad you agree that this was not the best book of the year. I sometimes think that with prizes like this the judges take the author as a whole into consideration and don’t always focus solely on the book. I have had so many people disagree with my review but it’s not a reflection on the author. I can easily tell she is a great author, but there is no way that this could possibly be her best book. I would love to read her again. Do you have a favorite of hers that you would recommend?

[@jansmith9391]

Apparently, her writing is frequently taught in college level writing courses. An interesting point that the author made is that the book is not a historical novel. I’m not sure what we are all missing.

[@madeubook]

I heard from somewhere else that her writing is often taught. I can definitely see why because the prose was gorgeous and there is no doubt that she can write. For this reason I think I will give Lark and Termite a go. Also, I find it hard to believe that she wasn’t going for historical with this book. It was based on an actual place and an actual doctor and she went to specific lengths to provide us with researched details about both. She also seemed to be trying to get the reader to understand what it was like for characters at that time. I guess I need to read up on the specific criteria for what constitutes historical fiction.

[@jansmith9391]

@@madeubook the impression the author gave is that it is not historical fiction. She did not set out to write a historical novel. I know, I’m confused, too

[@madeubook]

Well at least I’m in good company! That certainly is a head scratcher 🤣😂🤣

[@TheFilmAutopsy]

Just started it tonight!

[@madeubook]

Good luck! I hope you enjoy it!

[@dqan7372]

Challenge accepted. I'm determined to like it! Just kidding. Sounds too soap opera-y for my tastes. I might even prefer journal entries from the time that were almost completely lacking in plot (the only plot being the journalers intentions and attempts to find meaning in life. While looking up the reviews for this book I was reminded that Terry Pratchett has a (very different) novel by the same name. I'm more likely to read that.

[@madeubook]

I noticed the same thing! I bet Terry Pratchett book sales are on the rise! 😂🤣😂

[@phyllisspisto5418]

The book definitely went over your head.. you are too verbose and say nothing

[@madeubook]

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback!

[@phyllismoore2676]

You missed the fact the child raised by Dearbhla was the son on an enslaved woman and her white enslaver When grown,he married Eliza. His feelings about enslavement caused him to enlist.