By Rex Stout (read by Michael Prichard)
Nero Wolfe, Book 7
An Agatha Christie Centenary Celebration side-read runner up
Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe has to be one the most obnoxious private investigators to grace the pages of a detective novel. He is a cold, rude, ill-mannered, misogynist, agoraphobia-suffering effete snob who you just want to ask "Who died and made you King?" Good thing the story is told from point of his long suffering assistant/leg-man Archie Godwin -- and Goodwin is no peach either -- because, from what I have seen of the character, I have little interest in getting inside Wolfe's head.
The plot was okay; enough to keep me reading to find out whodunit but not enough to make me want to spend any more time with the lead characters. Still, it really feels like Nero Wolfe was written for the Walter Mittys of the world who want to know what it feels like to be a macho-man (this isn't it) and for the macho-men who just want to see their chauvinism confirmed. Sorry, not my demographic. It might have been tolerable if I had gotten any inkling that the author was poking fun at his characters, but I found the book devoid of any humor to lighten the load. The only redeeming moment in the book is when Wolfe is bested by a woman.
So what am I missing, friends? Stout was trade-award winning writer. He was a prolific author whose books sold. Am I falling into the trap of judging mores through a modern day prism? Should I just be ignoring the character and enjoying the plot? No, there is more going with Wolfe than just his dated mores; he is just plain rude, self-centered and entirely lacking empathy with people. I can't even laugh at him.
While I am at it, I should apologize to my Agatha Christie group for having voted for this book as a possible side read; at least it didn't win. The only reason it got my vote was because I already owned it. If I had but remembered what a yutz Wolfe is,...but alas I have such short, short memory for what I read.
Therefore, 2.75 stars for the reading experience.
I'm glad I gave this a miss. I've seen Wolfe compared to Falstaff. Never did like him either. Even Prince Hal only spent time with him to use him as camouflage.
ReplyDeleteI get what you are saying but I see an important difference between Wolfe and Falstaff. Shakespeare wrote Falstaff as a buffoon -- and I can enjoy him and put up with him as such, even if I don't like the man. (There are plenty of Shakespearean characters we don't like). Falstaff gets what is coming to him. I'm not being asked to take the man seriously.
ReplyDeleteStout wrote Wolfe as someone who was looked up to and respected despite his pompous bearing and overinflated ego. Stout takes his hero seriously and expects his readers to do so. There is never a hint in the story that maybe we should be taking Wolfe with a grain of salt.