3 out of 4 stars
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Something is Rotten in Fettig by Jere Krakoff is a satirical novel about an incident within a fictitious country named Fettig, which is similar to America in the early 20th Century.
The main character, Leopold Plotkin, is a Jewish man and first generation Fettig with high aspirations to become an intellectual. His dreams are crushed at the tender age of thirteen when he is forced to work in his family’s Kosher butcher shop. A pacifist by nature, Leopold goes out of his way to please others and avoid conflict. Unfortunately for Leopold, his family thrives on conflict and chaos, which leads him down a path of disastrous events. As he struggles to keep the family business afloat, take care of his aging relatives, and find acceptance, Leopold becomes convicted of what is considered a grave injustice towards the Republic; in reality, it is a profound misunderstanding and the incident is used to forward the political agendas of all involved.
The novel starts with a helpful list of characters and their relation to Leopold Plotkin; it is a thoughtful reference given the amount of personalities to keep track of. There are also page numbers given for caricature drawings of twenty-five featured characters. The images add to the quirky nature of the book and serve to help introduce new characters. Sadly, there are times when the caricatures look alike or do not represent the description of a character.
Leopold’s story has a highly entertaining character arc and is filled with a rich back story. The supporting characters all serve a purpose and are given multidimensional identities. There are enough diverse characters for the reader to find one that is relatable.
The humor used in the book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. Krakoff uses it to full affect by pointing out the absurd way the Republic passes laws, treats the lower class, the unwanted individuals, and the rampant abuse people with authority get away with. The names of agencies, buildings, and charities are all labeled to their agenda, which is a humorous and clever way to mock the establishment. For example, The Warehouse for the Purportedly Insane is where people who may or may not be insane are put out of societies way. Another highlight is the use of specific language within the laws, which leaves ambiguity and shockingly accurate ways they will be halfheartedly enacted.
Krakoff’s experience as a civil rights attorney allow the book to shine in the sections that focuses on the court room, lawyers, lawmakers, politicians, and the prison system. Unfortunately, a lot of chances for unique insight into the time period are lost due to an over use of stereotyping. For example, the psychiatrist is incompetent, erratic and overly focused on sex; The Jewish families are morose, argumentative hypochondriacs who are prone to exaggeration; Immigrants are poorly educated and refuse to assimilate; and all government officials are above the law. These are over used characterizations and cliches, which interfere with the absurdity the novel is trying to portray. The result is a novel that is predictable and less interesting.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There are laugh out loud moments and some great criticism of socioeconomic status, miscommunication, mob mentality, and corruption within places of power. I rated this 3 stars because, as stated above, there are few moments of original insight and the over reliance of stereotypes. I recommend this book to readers interested in a different way to look at history and lovers of dry humor.
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Something Is Rotten In Fettig
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