The average user rating for this Book is 7.5 out of 10 (based on 17 Votes).
[Anonymous] gave it a5: This book had it's moments, but over all I was bored with it and had no sympathy for the characters, I didn't find them at all likable. I could not connect with the characters or get into the story at all.
Moki C gave it a10: This is a fabulous written story. We feel like everythins that's told is History by that family's point of view. Roth is quite an outdtanding writer.
Wayne H gave it a9: Once again Roth takes us where few dare to tread. Specifically to a dark, serious place that mirrors the times about which Philip Roth writes. In this instance the parallels are clear: Facism, Nazism and today's power grab by a generally unsympathetic goverment. Moreover, Roth uses his namesake characters' stamp collection as a historical marker. What do the stamps tll us of a cultures history and what happens when the stamps dissappear? Roth gives us a snapshot of not only what might have been but largely what is. Here we have a talented story-teller that is among the most eloquent of American writers. Or is it a telented writer who is among our best story tellers? I loved it. Go Roth!
Gnarles gave it an8: Not since Tom Wolfe's "A Man In Full" has a book been so wonderful to me in its build-up, only to flame out on an ending that can't sustain what has come before. That aside, "The Plot Against America" is another great read by a writing master. Thanks to the author's willingness to tell the story from the point of view of himself and his family in the early 40's, the scenario is seamless and impressively believeable, even though you can never fully detach from the reality of what really happened. The sentences often crackle with real tension and wit, making it fun to read. Roth takes a real risk with this project and brings it off beautifully until the aforementioned climax, which feels weirdly anti-climactic for all its brooding, careful set-up. Particularly ludicrous is the "war" the U.S. has with another country at the very end (though fans of the South Park movie will be quite amused). Definitely worth a read, but Roth fans have a head-start for sure.
Jm H gave it an8: Uneven--riding the spectrum from brilliant to indulgent. As a sentence creator, Roth may be on par with Henry James and William Faulkner. The novel is quite believable until the anti-climactic, slipshod resolution of events. One is struck by the audaciousness of portraying the author's own family members as well as people like Lindbergh and Winchell. My first full length Roth novel, and I was quite pleased on the whole.
Mordecai B gave it an8: Great family drame written with humor, insight and scope. A little awkward when discussing the "current events".
Fred L gave it a9: OK, I'm a real Roth fan, and as an American Jew am definitely in his demographic, but this is a breathtaking and frightening read by a master who is near the top of his game. (This is not as good as The Human Stain, but that is a prohibitively high standard to hold almost any book against, the upper-deck walk-off home run we all were waiting for Roth to write.) The matter-of-fact plausibility of The Plot...'s evolving nightmare is what makes this book hard to put down and likely to interfere your life's other obligations.
James R gave it an8: Even with this novels flaws (they are a few), Roth has written a believable and timely story. His writing is at his best and most emotionally evocative during the depictions of Jewish urban life pre-WWII. This seductive story is essential reading. The Plot Against America is that rare mix of literary and popular fiction. This subgenre (the crossing of literary and popular fiction) is an area that few writers dare to tread, yet Roth not only accepts this challenge but succeeds.
armando s gave it a5: This book was a disappointment to me-the premise was interesting but the author did not really develop the possiblities all that well-the writing was very prosaic -told from a childs point of view. The characters were sprouting Jewish schtick.
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