Jörg’s Reviews > Sabbaths Theater > Status Update

Roth takes his time for each of his scenes. Sabbath finally arrived in the New Jersey of his childhood. The coincidental meeting with a demented 100-yr old uncle takes 30 pages. The transience of life reaches its peak. Sabbath has just purchased his grave.

Sabbath still hasn't arrived at the funeral. In a long flashback, he remembers the time when Roseanna was in the clinic to treat her alcoholism. Roth draws all registers when he tells Rosie's story through Sabbath reading letters by her father to her before his suicide which he is asked to bring to the clinic. Occasional breaking of the fourth wall. Suddenly short streams of consciousness without punctuation.

Gloria Steinem died two days ago. Her name appears in one sentence among others in this book. For her, Roth was a prototypical sexist. Having just read a footnote of 15 pages which is supposed to be a transcript of phone sex between 60yr old Sabbath and a 20yr old student, I at least can understand where this notion comes from.
Sabbath's hours before the funeral seem to pass in real time, wandering around, thinking.

A scene of obsessive intensity. Sabbath maniacally sifts through the things of a college girl driven by his sexual desire. When discovered by the cleaning woman, he virtuously manipulates her, almost ending up fucking her. All of this in the luxurious NY apartment of a former friend of 30 years ago who hosts him in his daughter's room for a funeral of a joint friend.

Roth may be the prototypical white old man writer but he knows how to draw characters. Mickey Sabbath is a conflicted man full of contradictions. The women around him come to life as well. His lover Drenka, already dead after 50 pages but still taking room, his first wife Nikki, mysteriously disappeared. His current wife recovering from the mental wounds he inflicted. It's clear that Sabbath is on his final mission.

The bookmark left on my last effort is on page 50. Maybe, this time I persist. If I remember correctly, this is my third try.