MixedThe Telegraph (UK)The sharp historical detail with which she constructs pre-Christian Judea contrasts with the dullness of her hero ... At its most interesting as a textual artefact. Stretches of narrative are missing; the text is kept together by stitching ellipses. The result is an attendant emotional threadbareness: the patchworked narrative misses important scenes, from the loss of a father to the disintegration of a marriage. Perhaps Hurston put off writing the most potent moments, and died before she could repair the scissions. Still, it’s a thrill to see a genius of the South at work. There’s fun to be found in the gaps.
