3.4999 stars.

This is a "literary novel" in the sci-fi genre and has all the depth and insight and beautiful writing that you'd hope from a literary novel. That said... something about it left me... unhappy? unsatisfied? This might be because there was never any "sci-fi" payoff. Ultimately, the story collapses down to just one man, his history, his mind; very "literary."

But the plot topic (or, just about, device) of time travel, or physics somewhat more generally, just begs for a grander resolution. I think that is the source of the... unfulfilled... feeling: I, at least, am convinced that the whole thing just was in Waldy's head, that, as "the Kraut" said, its all just because his whole family is simply mentally ill, that calling it "the syndrome" was foreshadowing, and I'm not sure I'm cool with that after 500 pages.

There is definitely a lot here: history, personal and otherwise, and its weight, guilt, shame, narcissism and selfishness, escapism (including, maybe, into madness), questions of (historical) culpability/responsibility, madness itself, all with a bit of physics and metaphysics. That *almost*, just about, makes this 4 stars for me. But all those same things end up bogging the story down, and, again, at 500 pages, it just didn't have the payoff I needed. ( )

meh ( )

"The patent clerk" is the sole way in which the 4 generations of characters in this strangely absorbing novel ever refer to Albert Einstein. Some of the members of this oddball family have their own theory of the physical nature of time, and they duly appear to encounter and create some remarkable deviations from conventional temporality. It's bizarre, convoluted, unpredictable, and a challenge to keep straight, but also masterful.

I'm not sure what to say about this one. It's strange. It's different. I'll give it a star for that. And it's not a mindless adventure. It's more historical fiction with a bit of scientific and philosophical speculation, earning it another star. And, despite over 400 pages without really engaging my interest, I finished it without much pain. Another star. But the pacing drags. The characters aren't likable. The plot is unclear, and the ending is unsatisfying. It's a good try, though. It's clearly a kind of experimental fiction, and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I approve on general principle. This one just wasn't for me. ( )

I got a preview copy of this from netgalley.

I don't read a lot of books about time travel (but I liked hhhh) so I thought this novel, about a family seeking the science of time travel across a hundred years and two continents, with some Nazis thrown in might have been my thing. This didn't quite catch fire for me though. There are allusions throughout to notable historical events, from the atomic bomb to eccentric sisters dying amongst their hoarded goods in New York, and cultish groups with Scifi links (can't imagine what that might be inspired by...). The key point - is the time travel real? Is the whole family mad? was gripping to me whilst the family was in Vienna, anticipating Nazis, but once in the US the theme was overstretched. I suspect if you have more interest in the physics (and history of science) this might be more your bag though. ( )