This is my first Chabon. Though it took a little while to get into the story, I was hooked right away by Chabon's skill; his attention to detail. Though sometimes the "1) introduce plot point, 2) exhaustive explanatory digression, 3) skip to resolution of plot point" pattern can get tiresome, especially if you read the book non-stop like I did.

Some have said this book is boring... I don't think so at all. It is complex: a layered character and cultural study that is an emotional rollercoaster. It is about the value of escapism, and the complexities of life that are worth escaping. Chabon is a time-traveler. He must be! How can he know so much about mid-20th century NYC, the taste of a Pall Mall in a cinema, the exact time the train leaves Jamaica Station... This book is as much a historical novel of the City as it is about the historical struggle of Jews in America, both immigrants and first generation Jewish-Americans.

Highly, highly recommended.