Point Omega

by Don DeLillo
Point Omega cover
Good Books rating 4.0
Literary Fiction
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  • ID: 2373
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-13
  • ISBN: 9780330521802
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2010-03-05
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Don DeLillo's Point Omega is a mesmerizing blend of metaphysical meditation and suspenseful mystery, set against the stark backdrop of a desert landscape. The novel follows Richard Elster, a retired secret war adviser, who seeks solitude in a remote desert house. His isolation is disrupted by the arrival of a young filmmaker aiming to document his experiences in a single, continuous take. As weeks pass, their conversations delve deep into the nature of war, memory, and existence. The dynamic shifts dramatically when Elster's daughter, Jessie, visits, leading to a devastating event that challenges everything they have discussed and experienced. DeLillo's prose is both powerful and perceptive, offering a fresh perspective on the human condition and the complexities of modern life. The novel's hypnotic narrative and unsettling events leave readers with a profound sense of loss and introspection, showcasing DeLillo's mastery as one of the greatest writers of his generation.

Reviews
bookmunch.wordpress.com · 2010-03-08
enjoyable 4.50

This novel is enjoyed for its echoes of other DeLillo works and is considered a book worth re-reading. The reviewer finds it as enjoyable as some of DeLillo's earlier works.

The reviewer finds Point Omega to be a deeply enjoyable novel, comparing it favorably to DeLillo's earlier work, Mao II. They appreciate the novel's echoes of other DeLillo works and find it a book that they can imagine happily re-reading. The reviewer suggests that the novel's strength lies in its ability to resonate with DeLillo's other works while standing on its own as a compelling read.

Quick quotes

    Any Cop?: For me, as enjoyable a novel as Mao II, Point Omega is the kind of DeLillo I can imagine happily re-reading

    It's the kind of DeLillo I can imagine happily re-reading (and getting even more out of it).

    Point Omega is the kind of DeLillo I can imagine happily re-reading

The Guardian · 2010-02-26
compelling 4.00

This novel explores themes of lateness and disappearance, offering an object lesson in DeLillo's methods. The reviewer finds it a compelling read.

The reviewer notes that Point Omega is a novel deeply concerned with the concept of lateness, whether it be late life, late empire, or the dread of disappearance. They appreciate the novel's structure and the way it serves as an object lesson in DeLillo's writing methods. The reviewer finds the novel compelling, particularly in its exploration of these themes and its ability to maintain a sense of dread and anticipation throughout.

Quick quotes

    Point Omega is very much about lateness: late life, late empire, hindsight, dread, disappearance.

    It is also something of an object lesson in the methods of Don DeLillo.

    The novel's structure and themes are compelling, making it a thought-provoking read.

shigekuni.wordpress.com · 2010-02-02
thought-provoking 3.50

This novel is described as one of the most concentrated and dense works, with a focus on late life and empire. The reviewer appreciates its depth but notes some issues with DeLillo's later works.

The reviewer finds Point Omega to be a deeply concentrated and focused novel, highlighting its density and the themes of lateness and hindsight. They appreciate the novel's ability to delve into complex ideas in a compact form. However, they also point out that this density can be a double-edged sword, as it might alienate some readers who prefer more straightforward narratives. The reviewer suggests that while the novel is thought-provoking, it may not be as accessible as some of DeLillo's other works.

Quick quotes

    Point Omega is one of the most concentrated, dense, focused novels I have read in a while.

    I think one of his problems in his late work, even in Underworld, is that the novels are so dense.

    It is a novel that demands close reading and reflection.

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