Review by Amanda Hampson

There has been intense discussion around Franzen’s new novel as to whether it measures up to his previous one, The Corrections, for which he won a swag of awards and consequently set the bar high for himself next time around. 

Freedom follows Patty and Walter Berglund from what appears to be the demise of their family life back in time through their meeting, coupling, parenting, betraying, parting, reuniting and redemption. In the process we follow the tributaries of their son, Joey and their friend, the uncompromising rocker, Richard Katz as well as a handful of other characters who are struggling to find their groove in contemporary America. 

Franzen delivers ‘literary realism’ at its best. With strong confident writing he portrays characters - mostly unlikeable – who draw you into their messy lives to witness their wrong-headedness and inability to live with their own humanity. His story progresses and meanders at the same time feeling less like a plot than a life. At 561 pages this is definitely an epic but Franzen’s clever structuring provides different viewpoints and varying levels of intimacy within those perspectives that make for an engrossing read and a story that just keeps on giving – you miss it when you’re done.

Amanda Hampson is the author of The Olive Sisters and Two for the Road and also runs fiction and memoir writing workshops:www.thewriteworkshops.com.