Book Cover

Men are weak, darling. In the hands of a woman the strongest man in the world is weak, so don't think any the less of Julian or your father or any other man if he has a momentary weakness... Oh, here I am, talking away about something I don't know the first thing about. But you do feel better toward Julian, don't you? If you do, that's all that's necessary.

# Review

The story takes place during the holidays in the fictional town of Gibbsville, Pennsylvania (based on O'Hara's hometown of Pottsville, Pennsylvania). The story follows Julian English, a wealthy owner of a Cadillac dealership who belongs in the well-to-do “Lantenengo Street crowd”. Julian, through a series of impulsive decisions, ruins his life over the course of three days.

The story itself goes into the backstories of the various characters as the plot progresses. The plot itself is mostly mundane with spikes of dramatic flair. O’Hara’s prose is engaging but did not blow me away. For me, the best parts of the novel are the descriptions of Gibbsville, especially with regards to its society. O’Hara clearly draws from his personal experiences growing up in Pottsville to develop the various characters and their attitudes towards their peers. The social interactions include those from different social classes, those from different genders, and even interactions with those on the fringes of law. The book even covers aspects of social interactions which were considered offside for other contemporary novels, namely the exploration of sexuality, such as Julian’s deep insecurities towards his wife Caroline. While O’Hara does not go into explicit detail in exploring the actual sexual encounters, the sexual context is very interesting. O’Hara also provides ample social context, such as the lasting legacy of World War I. Unlike Fitzgerald’s glitzy Jazz Age, O’Hara’s age is much less optimistic, and thus filled with more realistic cynicism. Julian’s character is childish because he matured during the Jazz Age and never had to work for what he has; Julian’s impulsiveness and lack of discipline is ultimately his hamartia.

# Conclusion

An interesting look at American society in 1930.

# Overall rating: 7.3

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