I had no expectations when I picked up this book. I knew it was buried in the
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, but I started reading it because I had it at home, in paperback and I could fit it in my purse. In
The New York Trilogy Auster presents three distinct stories, that may be ultimately intertwined. Auster employs techniques of dectective and mystery stories with complex psychological implications. Each story, "City of Glass," "Ghosts" and "The Locked Room" are compact, gripping narratives exploring a mysterious plot with clues, while also diving into the psychosis of the primary character. Each story has an element of banality, keeping it grounded in relative reality, but also employs the slightly surreal - like the sequence in "City of Glass" in which protagonist abandons his quiet life to pretend to be a private detective and lives in an alley to watch over his client. The relationship between the stories is undefined, but at the conclusion I felt like there were connections I missed. I found
The New York Trilogy to be an intriguing, quick read, with an eerie feeling at the end. I liked the spooky side of the stories because they were suspenseful without being frightening. However, I finished "City of Glass" late at night, so I did read a few pages of
Glamour to clear my mind. I liken magazines to cleansing the palate in between meals.
- KER
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