The book has a lot of Yiddish tones to it, so I am not surprised that it would leave a reader without that 'proper' (DARK) background to bond with it. It's amusing to read the reviews of the time (and present) beecause you can tell who is Jewish, and who is not. (those who are pre-infused with a certain pessimism embrace the ill-fated character and feel a bizarre sort of kinship.)Hard to explain.
