The Waterworks

The late E.L. Doctorow wrote many great books centered on moments in history. “Ragtime.” “The Book of Daniel.” “Billy Bathgate.” “The March.” “World’s Fair.”

He wrote epics with an economy of words. 

Doctorow did not always write straight narratives. Readers sometimes have to stop and adjust and decide who is speaking, whose narrative is being followed chapter to chapter. Not always, but sometimes the style was worth the challenge; others, it was confusing.

“Loon Lake” is beautiful, even poetic, but it is also confusing in places.

The story is set in 1930s America.

It follows a young hobo, who catches a glimpse of a beautiful young woman on a train. He follows the train. He is attacked by dogs then convalesces in the wealthy home of the dog’s owner.

There, he meets the wealthy industrialist, his famed aviatrix wife, a poet and the young woman. The young hobo runs off with the girl. He becomes a union man in one of the rich man’s factories, hiding in plain sight, and becomes involved in an unforeseen plot of industrial espionage.

Doctorow switches from the narrative viewpoints of almost all of these characters. Readers piece together the young man’s main story, the life philosophy of the industrialist, the grasping outlook of the young woman, the saga of the aging poet.

Doctorow’s prose is always worth reading, even in this, one of his earliest novels, but “Look Lake” is confusing.

It is up to each reader to decide if the payoff is worth the challenge.