Stewart Mitchell’s Reviews > Fathers and Crows: A Book of North American Landscapes > Status Update
Stewart Mitchell
is on page 541 of 990
I usually struggle to connect with this particular period in history but Vollmann has managed to make it feel so real and graspable. And his clarity, his storytelling ability makes it so easy to keep track of dozens of characters. Astonishing stuff at this point - I can’t imagine the last few hundred pages being any less great.
— Jun 03, 2026 07:07PM
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Stewart’s Previous Updates
Stewart Mitchell
is on page 483 of 990
The short paragraph that ends Part V and transitions into VI, which part I suspect is the beginning of the narrative this entire book has been building towards, is one of my favorite moments in any novel I can remember.
— Jun 02, 2026 06:46PM
Stewart Mitchell
is on page 374 of 990
Vollmann is weaving in so many digressions, rocking the timeline back and forth whenever he feels like it, and yet everything is moving with such a strong sense of purpose that none of these detours feels unnecessary. At this point this is simply some of the best “historical fiction” I’ve ever read - bring on the next 500 pages.
— May 31, 2026 07:12PM
Stewart Mitchell
is on page 210 of 990
Words once again failing me when trying to explain what makes Vollmann’s style so compelling here. Hopefully I’ll be able to write a coherent review when all is said and done. I’ve compared the experience of reading certain authors to eating candy; this book, on the other hand, is steak dinner with coffee.
— May 28, 2026 07:27PM
