51 pages 1 hour read

E. L. Doctorow

City of God

Fiction | Novel | Adult

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

City of God by E. L. Doctorow is a metafictional novel exploring themes of faith, morality, and history through the fragmented writings of Everett, a character loosely based on the author. The plot focuses on the intertwining lives of an Episcopalian priest, a radical Jewish couple, and their collective search for meaning after a stolen cross surfaces. Content includes references to the Holocaust and wartime atrocities.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

City of God by E. L. Doctorow presents a thought-provoking mosaic of philosophical reflections and interconnected narratives. Reviewers praise its ambitious structure and lyrical prose but note its complexity and abstract themes can alienate some readers. Doctorow's stylistic experimentation impresses, though it sometimes sacrifices narrative coherence, making for a challenging but rewarding read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read City of God?

A reader who enjoys intellectually stimulating, genre-blending narratives will appreciate City of God by E. L. Doctorow. Fans of Don DeLillo's Underworld or Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow will find its exploration of existential themes and fragmented storytelling rewarding. Suitable for those who relish complex, thought-provoking literature.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Religion / Spirituality

Philosophy

Period

Post Modernism

Themes

Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Values/Ideas: Literature

Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos