Ms. Hen reviews A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Dave Eggers

Vantage Books

2000

Ms. Hen has had this book in her possession for a while, but she finally got around to reading it. She didn’t for a long time, because she thought it was about a family dealing with cancer, and she thinks that could have been boring and tedious. She finally cracked it open, because she found out Dave Eggers is considered one of the best San Francisco writers, and she is traveling there in two weeks, and she likes to partake in books about a place to get herself ready.

This book is a memoir, but there is some fiction contained. It is about a family of four siblings whose parents have died from cancer separately, within weeks of each other. Dave, the second youngest, twenty-two at the time, is made the guardian of his seven-year old brother, since the two older siblings are busy with work and law school. Dave and his brother Toph, and sister Beth move to San Francisco to start a new life.

One thing Ms. Hen liked about this book was that San Francisco is like a character in the story. The narrator takes the reader on journeys through the streets and the hills and we get to know San Francisco and Berkeley and the people in the area. Ms. Hen decided she could understand what it was like in that city in the 90s with all the young, idealistic people, trying to make a difference in the world, and not caring what the older generation thought of them.

Another aspect of this book that Ms. Hen enjoyed is the writing style. The writing is well crafted and luxurious. The words seem to dance on the page. The author truly knows how to use words to his advantage.

However, even though Ms. Hen enjoyed the exquisite writing, she did not like the narrator. She isn’t sure if it’s because he is immature, or seems like a jerk, or if he’s someone who she decided if she met, she would not like, but that spoiled the book a little for her. She didn’t like learning about the perverse ideas Dave has about women, and the antics with his magazine, and how he tells stories about his friends that he knows would make his book better. Dave doesn’t seem like a nice person to Ms. Hen. Yes, he loved his brother, and he seems “cool,” but he seems too pretentious and unlikeable for Ms. Hen to completely enjoy the book.

Other than the character appearing to be unsavory, Ms. Hen liked some things about this book. She is excited for her trip to San Francisco, and has a better idea of the city now.