BOOKS | Charles Baxter’s “The Soul Thief”: A numbing experience
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As I began this review, I knew that I was going to write about the failings of the novel and how I disliked it and found it a chore to read. As I wrote, though, I realized that as much as I disliked The Soul Thief, I’d come to appreciate Minneapolis author Charles Baxter’s ability to pull me into a world of pessimism and despair. It is not a place I choose to reside permanently or usually even visit willingly, but I appreciate Baxter’s power as a writer to slowly steal my own optimism as I drudged through his novel. Nathaniel Mason, a graduate student with a sad life, slowly loses his history, his identity, and perhaps his soul to Jerome Coolberg, a Faust-like character who takes a shining to him. The novel navigates through Nathaniel’s life and thoughts as he struggles to understand the relationships he has constructed with Theresa, his cute fellow coed; Jamie, the (less attractive but more intriguing) taxi-driving artist; his own family, including his sister who calls him but does not speak; Coolberg, who knows private, personal details that Nathaniel has not shared with anyone; and ultimately, himself. Continue Reading
