Staff Review: LAZARUS MAN

LAZARUS MAN by Richard Price
9780374168155
11/12/24
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Fiction / Literary

One of the most captivating aspects of Richard Price’s writing is his skill in crafting complex, multi-dimensional characters, and that is on full display in LAZARUS MAN. 

Set in 2008 in East Harlem, LAZARUS MAN is a vivid portrayal of a community whose lives are greatly impacted when a five-story tenement building collapses, killing six of its tenants. Felix Pearl, a young filmmaker living nearby, is jolted awake by the collapse and rushes to capture the profound silence that follows the chaos. Mary Roe, an NYPD detective, is driven to find a missing tenant connected to her past. Royal Davis, a mortician with a struggling business, seizes the moment to transform tragedy into opportunity, highlighting the moral complexities of urban life. And then there is Anthony Carter, a survivor buried under the rubble for 36 hours, who becomes a man with a message and a passionate sense of mission.

Reading this story, I was in awe of Price’s unparalleled ability to paint a city in flux with his words. Every character is vivid, relatable, and heartbreakingly flawed, which makes their stories all the more engaging. I particularly loved how their connections evolve in unique ways. Felix, for instance, begins as an observer, capturing emotions through his camera lens. Over time, he gradually puts down the camera to create connection.

The novel also doesn’t shy away from broader themes such as gentrification, the housing crisis, and urban blight, making it not only a compelling read but also a rich source for discussion in book clubs. LAZARUS MAN is truly a story of connection and human experience, showcasing Richard Price’s extraordinary talent to capture the intricate dynamics of urban life as he has done time and time again.

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“For all the darkness in the novel with its 9/11 overtones, there’s a sense of transcendence in the Harlem community’s shared experience and survivors’ spirit . . . An affecting novel by a literary urbanologist in top form.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Price delivers a remarkable excavation of urban angst in this story of a five-story East Harlem tenement building that collapses . . . As [Price’s] vivid characters cross paths following the tragedy, they compose a searing snapshot of contemporary Harlem annotated with the author’s precise observations . . . Price once again proves he’s the bard of New York City street life.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review