The Pleasures Of Story Get Lost In This 'Forest Dark'
In Nicole Krauss' new novel, two characters move to Israel in search of fresh starts. But this strained tale of midlife crisis takes some odd turns and never quite coheres.
Nicole Krauss' fourth novel, a cerebral, dual-stranded tale of disillusionment and spiritual quest, proves heavy going for its characters — and its readers. Her two protagonists, a powerful, 68-year-old Manhattan attorney and philanthropist named Jules Epstein, and a celebrated novelist on the cusp of 40 named Nicole, have come to question the aridity of their lives. Both believe they'll find relief and transformation in Israel, a land of "never-ending argument" that also offers them
