The Angel of History: A Novel by Rabih Alameddine

So, a little bit after finishing Kanye West Owes Me $300 by Jensen Karp, I started reading a book by Alexander McCall Smith, and stopped mid-way through to read The Angel of History by Rabih Alameddine.  I heard Alameddine on NPR and was intrigued.  The subject matter of this book seemed original, kooky, provocative, and I wanted to read it.  I asked The Husband to request it from the library - had to wait for it to come in to the library (hence the McCall Smith book).  Once it did, I cracked it open and gave it a read.

This book was STRANGE STRANGE STRANGE.  What I understood about the book - the main character, Jacob, hears the Devil and Death talking to him.  He's lost his partner to AIDS.  He talks to his dead partner.  He hears the Devil and Death.  And, then checks himself into a mental hospital for a little "vacation" to hopefully stop the voices.

The Devil and Death are interviewing 14 other Saints that have been involved with Jacob throughout his storied life about different events in his life.

The author writes in a stream of consciousness style with little punctuation and many run-on sentences.  It was very hard to follow who he was talking to and what he was talking about (present or past).  I kept reading and kept being confused and puzzled and kept waiting for it to "click" for me and make sense.  It didn't.

It pains me to say that I didn't finish this book.  It was due back at the library, The Husband and I were leaving for Southern California for the holidays, and I just couldn't get in to this book.  This is only the 2nd time that I can remember that I haven't finished a book I started (the other was a Robert Ludlum book - The Aquitaine Progression, I think).  I really wanted to know what happened in The Angel of History - but I guess it wasn't to be.  I think if something had clicked for me, I would have kept the book, paid the overdue fee, and finished it.  Or if it had really clicked for me, I'm sure I would have finished it in a week or so like I have with other books.

Sadly, I can't sing this book's praises like other reviewers on Amazon.  I wanted to like it, but, like the Rolling Stones sang, you can't always get what you want.