Title: Up in the Air
Author: Walter Kirn
First published July 1, 2001
320 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780385722377 (ISBN10: 0385722370)
Rating: 2.88
Overview
When a group of friends steal coins from a wishing well, they never expected to anger the well witch. Now, they must pay the price by serving her and granting the wishes that have been rotting at the bottom of her well.
As they take on new powers they don’t understand or want, they realize they’ve made a grave mistake. Ryan’s hands sprout strange bumps; Chelle speaks the darkest secrets of strangers, and Josh can grant wishes that should never come true.
Join their journey of dark humor, unexpected twists, and sinister consequences in Frances Hardinge’s hauntingly captivating novel, Well Witched.
About the Author
Walter Kirn writes book reviews for The New York Times and has contributed to various other publications such as The Atlantic, Vogue, and Esquire. He’s written six works of fiction including My Hard Bargain: Stories, She Needed Me, Thumbsucker, Up in the Air, Mission to America, and The Unbinding.
Kirn is a Princeton alum and attended Oxford as a Keasby Foundation scholar.
Editoral Review
Up in the Air by Walter Kirn is a captivating exploration of the modern American experience. The book, first published in 2001, tells the story of Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert who traverses the country firing employees for a living.
Kirns writing style is sharp and witty, and his themes of human connection, identity, and morality are universal and thought-provoking. The novel opens with Ryan at the airport, a place that becomes a character in its own right throughout the story.
From there, he travels to different cities, each with its own unique culture and inhabitants. Through his travels, Ryan grapples with the meaning of his own existence and the fleeting connections he makes with the people in his life, including his love interest, Alex, and his troubled sister, Julie.
One of the strengths of Kirns writing is his ability to capture the nuances of American culture and the struggles of those who are both privileged and disillusioned. Ryan represents a generation of Americans who have been sold the myth that success and wealth are the keys to happiness, but who find themselves unfulfilled and disconnected from others.
Kirns portrayal of Ryans journey is both poignant and relevant, as many readers may identify with his struggles to find meaning in a world that values material success above all else. Kirns writing is also built on solid characterization.
Ryan is a complex and layered protagonist, with flaws and strengths that make him both relatable and frustrating. His relationships with the other characters, particularly Alex and Julie, are realistic and impactful.
Kirn has a keen eye for human behavior and psychology, and his characters are imbued with an authenticity that grounds the narrative in reality. Another strength of the book is its pacing and structure.
The narrative moves briskly, with each chapter offering new insights and developments. The use of the airport as a recurring motif adds depth and poetry to the story, and the ending is surprising and satisfying.
However, there are a few limitations to the book. Kirns writing style, though clever and engaging, can sometimes detract from the emotional weight of the story.
The book also lacks a sense of urgency or intensity, which may make it less appealing to readers seeking high-stakes drama. Overall, Up in the Air is a beautiful and thought-provoking novel about the nature of identity, human connection, and the American experience.
Kirns writing is sharp and incisive, and his characters are well-drawn and impactful. The book is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and anyone interested in exploring the contradictions and complexities of contemporary American life.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Fans of literary fiction, readers interested in contemporary American culture and identity.
