Jörg’s Reviews > Crossroads > Status Update
Jörg
is on page 512 of 832
Unavoidably for a cast consisting of a pastor's family, religion and belief is a topic. Luckily, from a moral point of view. Franzen boils it down to the recurring question whether a deed qualifies as good when it's good for others even when it's done out of selfish motives. All the Hildebrandts struggle with the demand of being a good person, before god, society or themselves.
— Jan 05, 2026 01:11AM
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Jörg’s Previous Updates
Jörg
is on page 682 of 832
About 65% of the book play on a single day, December 23rd 1971. The advent chapter. The birth of the narration. Then comes Easter. The biblical allusion doesn't leave anything else to expect than the denouement, the death of the narration. Russ travels with the Crossroads youth group to the Navajo reservation, accompanied by his love interest Frances Cottrell and his drug-abusing son Perry. The gun is in the room.
— Jan 06, 2026 01:37AM
Jörg
is on page 314 of 832
Every one of the five Hildebrandt's is just slightly enough of the tracks to still work but make an upcoming derailing palpable. You want to have a serious talk with each of them, telling them to get their act together. The one you least expect to be is the one messed up the most. The only one needing some serious help.
— Jan 04, 2026 02:30AM
Jörg
is on page 185 of 832
Got the German translation by mistake. Good characterizations of the Hildebrandt family. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different family member. Maybe, they all are a bit too self-reflected telling us not only the weaknesses of the others but theirs as well and spot on.
— Jan 03, 2026 02:01AM
