Among Pelecanos’s gifts as a storyteller is that he understands the appeal of moral ambiguity and authentically flawed characters. That skill is on full display here. So is his sense of humor ... In many ways, The Man Who Came Uptown is a book about books ... So while much of this story is classic crime noir...I found myself also reading the book for the Proustian madeleines that Pelecanos serves us.
Like his hero Elmore Leonard, Pelecanos finds the humanity in the lowest of lowlifes (the garrulous Ornazian is so proud of his wife, he thinks nothing of showing nude photos of her to friends). And Pelecanos' peppery dialogue energizes every page. As a bonus, the book offers an ongoing 'read list' of the author's favorites ... Picturing them on Michael's new bookshelf, you can't help but smile.
The thriller plot is taut and suspenseful, as jolting as it is carefully nuanced, but it is Pelecanos’ focus on character, on his ability to show the richness and depth of his people, as well as their often-heartbreaking yearning for something more, that gives this novel—and all his work—its special power. The fact that this time that elusive 'something more' comes in the form of books will make this a novel to treasure for anyone who, like Michael, has been bitten by the reading bug.
...a stand-alone work that cinematically unfolds in equal parts beauty and violence ... There are a number of quiet twists and turns that play out all the way to the book’s satisfying, somewhat bittersweet ending ... The Man Who Came Uptown may or may not become your favorite Pelecanos novel. What is undeniable is that it contains some of his best writing to date in any media.
The Man Who Came Uptown is the first novel from the acclaimed master of Washington, D.C. noir George Pelecanos that might be deemed literary fiction instead of thriller. Don't worry, Pelecanos fans. This book still contains plenty of action ... To see Pelecanos make this turn is wonderful. He's always been an incisive and elegant writer. Now he has reached a different level ... These are minor quibbles, really, about a book that is a modern storytelling master's paean to the power of books, literature, librarians, and booksellers ... The Man Who Came Uptown will be welcomed by longtime George Pelecanos readers, but it shouldn't be missed by those who haven't enjoyed his work before, either.
Using his customary knowing dialogue and stripped-down, soulful prose, Pelecanos skillfully, sensitively works the urban frontier where the problems and stresses of everyday life cross the line into the sort of criminal behavior that could tempt anyone—anyone at all.
...[an] unforgettable novel of crime, redemption, and the transformative power of the written word ... Pelecanos shows that doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest option. Inspired by the author’s own experience with prison literacy programs, this is the work of a master storyteller at the top of his game.
