McMurtry's point of view [in Somebody's Darling], in detailing dozens of brightly drawn, often scary characters, ranges from acerbic satire to bitter horror; the weakest section, the middle one, by the producer, is as coarse, shallow, and foul-mouthed as its narrator. McMurtry really tells us nothing new about Hollywood—that the purveyors of fantasies are mostly low-spirited, corrupt, and earthbound—but the novel is engrossing, if never as moving as it is knowingly shocking. (p. 2134)
David Bartholomew, in Library Journal (reprinted from Library Journal, published by R. R. Bowker Company, a Xerox company; copyright © 1978 by Xerox Corporation), October 15, 1978.
This is a free excerpt of 101 words. There are 362 words (approx.
1 page at 300 words per page) in the full critical essay.
Read the rest of this Criticism with our McMurtry, Larry 1936–: Critical Essay by David Bartholomew Access Pass.
