" "Wiesel's is among the truly great lives of the 20th century, his very presence an inspiration to many and a reminder of the enormous power of the word to combat injustice and evil," notes the San Francisco Chronicle. But in the eyes of this critic and others, Wiesel's latest novel doesn't measure up to his stature. About half praised Wiesel's portrayal of Doriel's deep angst and impressive knowledge of philosophy and ethics, Judaism, and politics; others commended the memorable characters and imagery. However, some reviewers thought A Mad Desire a heavy-handed, self-conscious, and somewhat banal look at a tormented soul, leavened only by Dr. Goldschmidt's appeal. But readers with the patience to sift through difficult memories, dreams, and commentary will find A Mad Desire a challenging but ultimately rewarding book.This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine. "
— Bookmarks, 2/16/2014