How did "Night Watch" win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?!?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ม.ค. 2025
- I was really excited to read “Night Watch” after it won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but unfortunately I was VERY disappointed with this novel. Click ‘Show More’ for info & links.
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No need to apologize for reviewing a book negatively, because after all, you are a book reviewer.
Thanks Brian!
Exactly! I definitely don't want to hear only about the books you love. I have this to read so I'll be interested to see if I agree.
Sounds manipulating--"soap opera." I would want something deeper.
Be right back… Off to make popcorn. 🍿 😂
😂
I feel the same about The Goldfinch - I barely got through the first chapter before I returned it to the library.
The first 100 or so pages of the goldfinch were incredible
Donna Tartt is great as far as contemporary literature goes (which is saying something seeing how we live in an awful time for literature).
Agree!!
I am reading this now and really enjoying it!!
I was really excited for it since the author is from my state. “Cold Mountain but bad” was my review.
THANK YOU! Ridiculous that somehow Night Watch won the Pulitzer of all things, and North Woods wasn't even a finalist. Shameful.
I actually thought it was better than North Woods. While it did have a bit of superstition in it, appropriate for the day, it didn't get right into the ghostly realm like North Woods did.
Ok- North Woods was fantastic and I can’t believe it didn’t win the Pulitzer.
this is how i felt last year with demon copperhead. my friend and i had like a three hour conversation after finishing it, and we were both just flabbergasted it won a pulitzer.
That was one of the most carefully measured put downs I have ever watched and since it comes from a reviewer who never fails to see the positive aspects of books I am happy to give this a wide berth. On a much happier note I just finished Demon and really enjoyed it - the voice and character of Demon was amazing (and I forgave the fact that a kid hooked on opiates would never be able to put coherent sentences together with lots of detailed recollection!). At my reading group the responses to it really varied depending on whether they had read David Copperfield - if they had they were either disappointed to know the plot already or thrilled to watch out for all the links; if they hadn’t, like me, it was all new and usually loved for its own sake. This has really got me wondering about now not reading Huck Finn before James - although the relationship between them isn’t the same.
I really like that you are honest So many people feel they must like a winner It is so refreshing to hear you speak
Thanks for your candid evaluation--I'm ticked off and I didn't even read it!
😄
Finally, someone talking about what a weird choice this book was for the Pulitzer… I just finished this two days ago and I was beyond disappointed. To say it was like treading through mud would be an accurate description of my reading experience… Did every sentence have to be written in such a convoluted, obscure way that I had to read passages twice to even understand what it was being said? I kept rolling my eyes at her use of language, and that completely took me out of the story, which could have been a very interesting look at the post Civil War life - a lost opportunity…
Glad you feel similarly disappointed!
I was waiting to see if you'd make this video 😂 I was surprised too and couldn't even finish the novel oof. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I appreciate your honest and candid review.
😊
Despite your review of Night Watch, I bought it and began to read it with an open mind. I should have listened to you! After reading about 100 pages I decided that life is too short and I put it aside. I now am reading Claire Messud’s latest novel and it is wonderful.
I’ve never been so perplexed. Many of the books that were passed by in favor of this one are so far superior, in my opinion . I did actually feel angry about it. Both McBride and Mason had absolutely stellar offerings (and stellar backlists) this year that would have made incredible winners. I shook my head and said, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?!? I was asking myself, Did all the more worthy authors remove their names from consideration for some reason? Very confusing and disappointing result from this year’s Pulitzer.
I adored THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE. The characters were so well drawn. I haven't read NORTHWOODS yet, but I'm waiting for the paperback release. I loved Mason's THE PIANO TUNER some years back.
Never seen you at a loss for words Eric. I agree with the disappointment for this (bad) winner. Too bad they overlooked North Woods 😥
Fascinating to see how the same books perform across prizes, like Escoffery's If I Survive You, which went from a NBA longlist to the Booker shortlist, Harding's This Other Eden being shortlisted for both Booker and NBA, and now Night Watch, experiencing the largest glow-up from NBA longlist to Pulitzer winner.
I haven't read Night Watch yet, but I feel like some of the books I've read from the Pulitzer Prize have been, if not soapy, then definitely a bit too melodramatic for my taste (Demon Copperhead, The Overstory, The Goldfinch). Your review makes me a bit wary of the book haha, but I'll hopefully still get to it.
I trust your reviews and all the things you have said make me think this wouldn’t be one for me either. I appreciate you sharing you thoughts with us.
Hopefully next years one is better. 🤞
Thanks Charlie!
One of the best books I read in a while. Beautiful writing. Intense. Engrossing.
Agree!! 👍🏼
I agree!
My local library is discussing this book in early August. They'll give us a copy at the July meeting. Sounds like it could make for a lively discussion.
I'd be really interested to hear about your library group's response!
@@EricKarlAnderson I'm going in with low expectations and an open mind. I'll come back here with a comment after the meeting.
The Goldfinch flashbacks.... i still don't get how it won.
Same here!
I am so glad to see this kind of public reaction. I do not know what this year’s jury members were thinking. There were astonishingly good 2023 novels that fully met the Pulitzer’s scope and mission and none of them were even finalists. I read Night Watch months ago and did not remember it at all when it was announced as the winner. It is a very bad year for this prize.
Eric, your videos are always so insightful and brilliant. Big inspiration to my little channel, thank you for making such great videos I can binge watch haha !
Thanks so much! 😊📚
I’m loving the book .
I'm half way through the book and find it fascinating and beautiful....her prose is amazing and oftentimes arresting. I'm rather shocked at your harsh words for such a respectable writer and publisher. This is an amazing novel!
I decided to read it before I watched your video. But now that I have read it, I’m sad t say that I agree with you. There were so many deserving books this year. (My personal favorite was Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.)
I was hopeful for Tom Lake. But hadn't even heard of Night Watch. Now I keep hearing such mixed reviews. I'll probably read it eventually but it's not a pressing issue on my TBR.
I would have loved it if Tom Lake had won!
Appreciate your honesty and sincerity!
Oh no!!!! I was beyond words when they announced this year's finalists and winners. Of all the amazing eligible books to choose from, I had very high hopes that this book was going to be a dark horse gem that simply flew under my radar. I am still going to read it but now I'm afraid it will just be a 'hate read' that will piss me off the whole time. Thanks for your honest review and not sugarcoating it.
I am puzzled with most of the literary prize lists and some winners this year. Make it make sense!!
Other reviewers were wondering the same - how did this win the Pulitzer? Who were the judges? I wasn't planning on reading it, thanks for reinforcing my decision.
I agree with you … I too was mystified .
Thank you for this review. My library doesn't have it and I've been trying to decide if I should buy a copy. I think I'll save my money!
This book sounds like it would irritate the crap out of me. Thanks for the review.
Yeah, probably best to stay away. 😄
I recall a discussion a while back about award and prize winning books. It seems that it has more to do with word counts, politics, and social trends; and less to do with actual literary merit.
My take is that anytime you have to vote by committee, you're not going to get the absolute best. Too much compromise goes into the rounds of voting (I assume there are rounds of voting--or at least winnowing--to get to the final Pulitzer winner). I used to sit in on art design meetings, and this happened all the time. By the time we were done, the eventual "winning" design was diluted by compromises along the way.
At my book group last night I espoused the exact feelings on this very ordinary novel.
Having grown up in WV not far from Weston and I have toured the asylum, I share your thoughts about how this book could have won. The asylum was a horrible place. Patients were tortured. There is nothing to redeem this book. The characters lived remotely yet posed as refined society. The rape scene was disturbing and crashed the book. There is nothing to say positively about this book and to have won the Pulitzer makes me question their credibility.
I was confused as well. I would like for the judges to explain this one. I have lost complete trust in their judgement, as they have been making some questionable choices for over a decade now. Seems like they just on ideas only and don't even read the book.
Eric, the image on the cover is them being taken the asylum, not the carriage ride. There’s one horse.
Hi Eric, I haven't watched the video yet, but your facial expression in my TH-cam feed made me laugh out loud. 😀
Eric, I just finished reading "Night Watch" today. While I think I liked it a little better than you did, I shared many of your frustrations with the novel. The writing was purposely obscure I thought. For example, I did not understand what happened to Hexum the cook at the end. It took me about 90 pages to get into it. The middle part was the best, when ConaLee and Eliza were shown compassion and care at the asylum. On page 172 there are a list of reasons someone might be admitted to an asylum in the late 1800's. Included are "novel reading" and "political excitement" . I found this a refreshing bit of humor after the heaviness of much of the earlier parts of the novel.
The ending seemed to too predictable. Thanks for sharing your reactions.
I have yet to read this so I’ll not watch for now. I just wanna comment that an angry Eric is so rare, this must have been really something. 😂
Eric doesn't seem angry. He seems so sad! 😢
It’s great that you give your honest opinion that’s why I love your channel. I disliked this book too, I’m beginning to think that award winners can more often than not be chosen for “right on” reasons. There, I said it without mentioning the W word.
I started it yesterday. Read a couple chapters, wasn't hooked, and returned it to the library.
Just cancelled my reservation. Thanks Eric. There are so many great books I want to get to 👍📚😀
I'm just glad someone didn't like a Pulitzer winner because I've read several that I really didn't like and I thought I was so weird!
IIRC "Night Watch" is the title of a famous Rembrandt painting. I don't believe I caught the connection, unlike with say "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" which is an obvious tribute to Shakespeare's Macbeth. Of course I haven't the clearest recollection of what is depicted in the painting except some men in black and white. btw - the short aside on coincidence caught my attention. I think coincidence is a key to a compelling story bc it makes the reader think. Kundera in one of his novels spends a few pages on coincidence, particularly the ones that become coincidence only years later when the characters finally meet.
The Shooting of Frans Branning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch, but commonly referred to as THE Night Watch a 1642 painting by Rembrandt van Rijn. The title is a misnomer; the painting does not depict a nocturnal scene. 🙂
@@58angieb Yes, I've heard that lack of care darkened the canvass thereby making it look like night time. Additionally, your explanation makes good sense, tho it doesn't quite explain the extraordinary presence of the one woman holding a chicken.
Omg, thank you for an honest review. Night Watch wasn’t even on my radar until it won the prize….my TBR is LONGGGG, so I really appreciate any helpful reviews/criticism. I will remove this from my list. I have to say though…I am truly puzzled by the support for Tom Lake, which felt for me like a saccharine Hallmark movie. (And I loved The Dutch House)
You know he’s mad cuz he used hell in the title! I, for one, am intrigued.
I was on the verge of reserving this from the library, just because it won the prize. I’m glad I didn’t!
Yeah, probably best to pass it by
I also found it extremely clunky, obvious, unsubtle, etc! It felt like each reveal towards the end was painstakingly clear from the very beginning. Melodramatic is the word. Couldn't believe it won the Pulitzer.
Night watch is an excellent read and I recommend it - especially for those wanting to learn more about Civil War-era life and trauma (& some of its causes) and mental health care in a historical context, as well as those interested in learning more about compassionate care for those suffering and the long-term repercussions of war. This book is not an easy read due to harsh subject matter, but it is an accessible work and has great potential for book clubs. There are many 5-star reviews on Goodreads for those interested in positive takes on this literary prize-winner.
Thank you for your comment.I agree wholeheartedly.
I began reading this book the same day it won the Pulitzer for fiction. My library had one copy of the ebook and it wasn’t checked out (that was my first clue). I am so disappointed in this book and wound up hate reading it. I have a Pulitzer Prize project (15 to go!) and that’s the only reason this didn’t go to the big DNF pile in the sky.
My primary objection is the protracted and gratuitous rape scenes, secondary objections are leaden pacing, pretentiousness, heavy reliance on multiple far-fetched coincidences, and clunky structure.
This book will almost assuredly wind up in my bottom 10% of PP winners. Having said all this, many like it, so I would encourage people to read it and decide for themselves.
Reinforcing the truism that reading is so subjective is the fact that Michael Chabon was one of the jurors. He is one of my favorite writers and won the PP for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, one of my top five PP Fiction winners. 🤷♀️
Many great comments on this book! Just finished it today and I agree with many things you said. Also, the writing style did not agree with me. It felt purposely vague to me. For instance, I did not understand what happened to Hexum the cook at the end of the novel?
I am about 3/4 through the book and I STRONGLY dislike it. I really enjoyed the nonfiction book, The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore, which goes more into depths about the horrors of women and their rights, and positions in mental institutions in the 19th century. That was a five star book for anyone wanting to know more.
Thank you for this recommendation.
I have NIGHT WATCH but haven't read it yet. I do think, however, for a "negative" review you seem very fair-minded, which I really appreciate. I can't judge your actual critique of the book (having, as I said, not read it) but I like your approach of trying to uncover its merits rather than just bashing it. Not every book is for everyone, but sometimes the story or the characters or the writing is genuinely lacking. In any case, thank you for an honest assessment devoid of mean-spiritedness despite you not connecting with the work.
The Pulitzer Prize winners often don't impress me so much. I liked Less, but was it the best of that year? Didn't like The Overstory. A Visit from the Goon Squad was just okay to me. Looking forward to reading Tinkers, Demon Copperhead, Gilead, Middlesex, and Beloved, though! The Optimist's Daughter wowed me...
I couldn’t believe it either. The publisher sent me two unsolicited ARCs which is usually not a good sign.
Great review! I still plan to read it because I'm making my way through Pulitzer prize winners from the past several decades. "Trust" is next on my list and I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! So far, my favourite Pulitzer prize winner is Jane Smiley's "A Thousand Acres". I adored that book and think about it weekly. My least favourite Pulitzer winner was definitely "Oscar Wao" by Diaz. I hated the crude narrative voice in that book. It was memorable though, but not my taste.
Yep. I DNFed this one. I recall thinking that even a good editor couldn’t fix it. Now this! IMO the Pulitzer really fell down.
I was curious if a little cautious (I have it out of the library) but I may end up passing it by.
It might be worth giving it a try, but I'm sure there are plenty of other novels more deserving of your attention. 😊
I didn’t just dislike it, I hated the whole experience of reading it. Thanks for this review, because I’ve been baffled and could find few responses to it winning the Pulitzer Prize?! I think it’s an unfortunate and uninspiring selection.
I agree, it’s so sad, the Pulitzer used to be my favourite prize, you could also guarantee the winner was going to be a good read but not anymore :(
I totally agree. It was a horrible reading experience. Yiyun Li short story collection which was nominated should have won.
Compromise vote, maybe? All the really good books got vetoed and "Night Watch" was still standing when the dust settled. Or maybe we'll find out really cool swag bags were involved. :) J/K. Doesn't seem like "greatness" is a prerequisite for winning prizes anymore, if it ever was. It's enough that they shined a light on a work that would have otherwise faded away into the shadows. The topic certainly sounds like prize bait.
I agree. I was very disappointed- also the runner-ups- strange year for sure
I actually had heard of this book. I DNF’d it last year. I was thinking that I should give it another shot since it won the Pulitzer, but I am not in a hurry to pick it up again.
I don’t use the Pulitzer Prize for reading recommendations like I do other prizes(Women’s Prize, Booker Prize, Dublin Literary Award)-too many disappointing reads…
Same Bed Different Dreams would've been a waaaay better winner imo. An alternate history of Korea told in a fantasia of interwoven nested narratives that is part hilarious, part astute while examining the plasticity of historical memory and historical revisionism and is also experimental and structurally interesting and generally just a wild and propulsive fever dream of a novel? Easy winner. Like, did we really need yet *another* Civil War era historical fiction winner? In any case, there were so many much, much better American novels published this year that would've been superior choices to Night Watch. Ah well, another classic 'huh?' book prize moment I guess!
Thanks! Yeah, a real head scratcher.
I am baffled by most award winners.
I felt this way reading Dutch House.
I only knew about this book because I go to Barnes maybe once a week for my hot girl walk, and the cover caught my eye on the New Releases shelf. I heard absolutely nothing about it from anyone else. Your review reminds me of my frustrations with A Gentleman in Moscow. Is comfy house arrest a punishment when the alternative is communist Russia? Is life in a clean, locked-door medical facility worse than free life as a woman in the lawless Reconstruction-era South? It’s not like women could live independently either way. That doesn’t mean you institutionalize them, but I agree with you that the larger point is miscalculated. I think there’s value in exploring how women fit into these formative American narratives (Where Coyotes Howl is a great western in this mold) but shuffling them off into an institution is avoiding addressing it all. It’s also odd to write a Reconstruction book and (apparently) not really even cast an eye on the issues under the Civil War? I really thought either North Woods or Tom Lake would win.
I didn’t mind this book. It’s a Random Harvest Civil War edition. But winning the Pulitzer feels strange.
I have been disappointed in "prize winning" books and avoid them. I love your review comments.
Perhaps read the Kirkus review.
I did but I don’t agree with their assessment. Also, I feel like more spoilers are given in the Kirkus review than what I say in this video.
You know what - I don’t know why it won either. I read it as part of the long list gol the national book awards. I scored it as 3.5 and it didn’t even make the short list there. Didn’t really do it for me. I’ve noticed that you seem to feel much the same about books as I do so I will in future get books that you find good. No pressure lol
Finished it last week, I really enjoyed it. I thought it felt like Cold Mountain but enjoyed the women's perspective from a woman author's writing.
I found the lunatic asylum setting an interesting aspect. I also found it an accessible and a compelling read.
The daughter was pretending to be a servant because family were banned from those sorts of institutions in the day. It was mentioned early in the book. The people in the institution become like a found family, but in this case there are blood relations.
Spoiler warning-
The thing that I found interesting was that the fact that the two lovers were actually blood relations - he was her Uncle! It was only briefly brought to the reader's attention when as a baby he was given to the Irish lady!
I didn't have any trouble understanding how a man like the sociopath intimidated the women in the story.
Considering the wars on at the moment, it's interesting to reflect that there's been past generational trauma in an American setting and there will be people in places like Ukraine and Gaza who will have generational trauma in the future.
I suspect our tastes are just a little different Eric.
Thank you, that makes sense and glad you enjoyed it!
Because it is addressing soap operas’ viewers, simple story for simple minds
When Night Watch was released I didn’t even look at it because of the cover. When it won the Pulitzer I thought well you know never judge a book …. So I read it and was vindicated, Didn’t care for it. I plan on reading the other finalists as The books I’ve read by Li are very good and Ed Park has a fun cover just not sure if it’s my style. Thanks for the review
I’m left scratching my head too! 🤷🏽♀️
I bought the book for my mom as a Mother’s Day gift as soon as news broke that it won as the author is from her hometown in WV & my mom’s sister was in the same high school graduation class as the author. My mom is very familiar with that institution, “Weston” they call it, where patients were treated horribly & even tortured (they give tours there now describing & showing the horrendous mistreatment); my great grandmother was sent there after she got Huntington’s, & contracted TB while there.
Needless to say, my mother did not like the novel, nor did I. The rape scene details were gratuitous, I felt! Aspects regarding the lifestyle of the characters (reading Shakespeare?!) was unrealistic, & the way it ended…? Reading this novel makes me feel the award should go to author’s storytelling ability in general, or it should be a lifetime achievement award, rather than attaching it to one title specifically. There was some almost poetic prose in Night Watch, but overall… I totally agree with your review!
So surprised at your review. I am reading it now and think it is amazing. The writing is beautiful. The story is gripping. It appears that you are in a round about way saying the rape scene was overly exploitive? In my opinion,she did a masterful job showing the terror and focus of Eliza to protect her daughter.I think the description of hokey and soap opera applies to “Demon Copperhead.”
Considering the reading level of most Americans these days I'm surprised that this dumbing down of the Pulitzer didn't happen sooner. But then again people have always said that I'm a bit of a gloomy Scenic and I was hoping I was wrong😢
You’re not confused, you’re spot on. This book was overall terrible and I have been asking all the same questions for weeks. I feel like writing a letter to the Pulitzer committee to inquire what the hell they were smoking when they chose this book.
I didn’t read this one but I thought the memoir winner and runner up were both great.
My library hold just came open. Maybe I will skip it. Thanks for the honest review.
The Pulitzer is very hit and miss with me. I wonder if it's because I'm not American but sometimes I just wonder...
Absolutely floored that a disorganized, amateurish attempt at storytelling won anything given the caliber of the other books listed. I feel certain that most readers of Daniel Mason’s North Woods agree his outstanding novel was most deserving of the Pulitzer this year.
I was wondering how an older Russian fantasy novel won The Pulitzer Prize. Then, I realized that it was not that "Night Watch."
This author’s name sounds familiar to me but I can’t say any other titles do, so maybe I’ve never read her. But it doesn’t sound like this book will be changing that either. You have led me to some great books and I trust your judgment, so this is going to be a no for me. It sounds like you’ve taken one for the team, Eric so thank you😊
Your review is so patient! I found this novel is ridiculous - and I felt insulted as a reader. To think the author thinks we need this silly story to appreciate that period in history! She’s talking down to us and so is the Pulitzer. Readers are smarter than this.
I absolutely agree with you! I thought this book was ridiculous and contrived. I was confused, disgusted and disappointed! I threw it out.
'felt a bit hokey'. I can't help feel we need to use this phrase more in literary criticism! I will say though that in one of my novel;s, I tripled up the name for each of the 3 female protagonists, though there were subtle variations in the spellings. I must admit I've never followed the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
Even with a literary character, please be careful about questioning why a woman would stay in an abusive relationship. It's especially difficult when a man is the one to question the woman's decision, as it's almost impossible for a man to really understand the woman's point of view in that situation.
It was a DNF for me pretty early on because reached a saturation point for victimized women. So never got to the core of the story after the beginning.
Sometimes ya just have enough of that in every story/book and need a break. Could philosophize about these representations in literature from various angles for hours.
Been DNF’ing an unusual amount of books lately that are either popular, heavily advertised or on a long list. Think my personal current taste in books diverges from popular opinion these days. But, that’s okay too. 🙂
It's a literary prize. What do you expect? They are worthless gauges of quality. They say more about the taste (or lack of it) of the judges than anything else.
Well this is depressing...I'm trying to read all the Pulitzer winners so i guess i have to read this one, too!
A Wuthering Heights crossed with Rebecca set after the American Civil War soap opera doesn’t sound like a Pulitzer winner to me but what do I know? The judges must have been looking for certain characteristics this year.
This sounds like the perfect description for what I like! Lol. P
I DNFed this book lol... I feel justified.
While riding a carriage nowadays is at the least a "different" experience, in the late 1800's it was a pretty commonplace means of transportation, an everday experience, so it's a bit weird that the character would be so excited about it. Otherwise, the novel seems to be yet another parade of currently popular feminist tropes, like "man bad, mean, rapist", or "men are weak/wounded but women are strong and noble", etc etc. It's all getting kind of old by now, but I don't think the Pullitzer people are above doing some political pandering when picking their winners.
Papa had told ConaLee that a maid would be allowed to stay but not a relative. Why ConaLee couldn't use her own name was what I couldn't understand, she needlessly confused her mother by naming herself her mother's name.
Mental institutions have received a very bad name in literature and movies. The Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was an exception as we can tell by the quotes from the real doctors included in the book. We learn that the psychiatric institutions of the past weren't all bad, and, when run properly, can be examples of the good definition of "asylum." We have a huge homeless problem today due to the closing of most of these institutions. We should have tried to make them all like the one in Weston. I'm glad the writer showed us such a positive institution.
Overall, I agree with your negative review. Overly graphic and needlessly confusing her style reminded me of Toni Morrison --in a bad way.
Let's be frank, It's Wordsworth who made Poet Laureate a thing to be coveted, Harper Lee who made the Pulitzer, and Hemingway who made the Nobel. Not the other way around.
What a great video title