The Harder They Come

Violence. Some of us read novels to travel from our world to some other place. Others read novels for insight into human nature. Still others read novels because some writers find a way to capture some aspect of contemporary life and draw insight for us to consider. T.C. Boyle may please all those different readers in his novel titled, The Harder They Come. Boyle explores violence and alienation in this novel. A marine and Vietnam veteran kills a would-be thief while on vacation in Central America and is considered a hero for his actions. Upon his return home to Northern California, he finds that his son, Adam, has become delusional, and is in a relationship with an anarchist fifteen years his senior. What Boyle does so well in this novel is tap into the threads of anger, paranoia and violence in American society. Boyle’s skill at description and his fine prose will bring pleasure to many readers. His poking at self-reliance, gun violence, and anti-government paranoia will cause distress to some readers. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Harder They Come from amazon.com.