The problem is that unlike the classic Pip, Franzen’s character doesn't really change or grow. With a name like Pip, it is hard for a reader not to draw parallels between Franzen’s work and 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. But he promises to help Pip find her father, and that’s enough to convince Pip to join his organization. What Andreas wants with Pip is a mystery. Andreas’s past is full of secrets including a hidden murder during the fall of East Germany.

It uses hackers and whistleblowers to expose the secrets of powerful officials. His organization closely resembles the real WikiLeaks. Andreas, a character inspired by Julian Assange, is hiding out in South America. But when she meets Andreas Wolf, everything changes. Her experiences have made her bitter, jaded and frankly, unpleasant. She struggles with the crippling burden of her student loans and the mystery of her unknown father. Pip has always felt like the world is against her. 'Purity,' Franzen’s latest novel, follows the life of Purity Tyler, or Pip as she’s known by her friends. He was even rude to Oprah! And so, the difficulty I always face reading a Jonathan Franzen novel is trying to separate the author from his story. His abrasive personality has earned him a lot of haters, both within and outside of the literary community. In interviews, he often comes across as arrogant and condescending, even to his own readers.

Our book reviewer Scott Southard gives us his take on the author’s newest novel, 'Purity.'įor a lot of people, Jonathan Franzen represents the worst stereotype of a novelist. Jonathan Franzen was once called the “Great American Novelist” by Time magazine.

Purity franzen review