" Having read Humboldt's Gift and proudly declaring myself a lifelong fan of Saul Bellow I feel like I am crashing back to earth with this novel. Kafkaesque is normally used in positive way but in this novel I feel could be applied negatively (as in you are not sure what is the problem and who is supposed to be the victim) Bellow's writing is very good and descriptive, he captures the inferno hot New York brilliantly. The issue however is the story. Asa Leventhal meets somebody (Albee) who blames him for his current situation in life. Albee continues to harass him. At this point one would assume Asa would simply punch him in the mouth and end it there. This is also in congress with Asa's character who seems able to be short and rude to other people. If the Asa character was a timid it would be more plausible or if the tit for tat violence escalated, this would pose the question to what point? What point would a man declare sufficient or enough, this would be an interesting question. However it never posed these questions and ended quite flatly. All in all a disappointment. "
— Fatleg, 2/16/2014