For Kings and Planets

For Kings and Planets tracks the lives of two Columbia University students from their first meeting in 1974 through their divergent paths into adulthood. Orno, a hardworking student from rural Missouri, forms an unlikely friendship with Marshall, a brilliant and enigmatic classmate from an affluent New England background. The narrative follows the evolution of their complex relationship as Marshall's façade begins to crack, revealing troubling aspects of his personality and past. Their paths split when Marshall leaves for Los Angeles to pursue a career in television writing, while Orno remains to complete his education and becomes involved with Marshall's sister Simone. Through their decades-long connection, the story examines questions of truth, memory, and identity against the backdrop of late 20th century America. The novel explores how early friendships shape our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world, while probing the tension between authenticity and pretense.

Readers found this coming-of-age novel to be a character study focused on friendship, privilege, and academic life. The prose style and psychological insights earned praise from reviewers who highlighted Canin's ability to capture the complexity of relationships. Readers appreciated: - Rich character development and dialogue - Vivid descriptions of college life at Columbia - Contrast between small-town and big city perspectives - Exploration of class differences Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Some characters' motivations remain unclear - Plot threads left unresolved Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (50+ reviews) From reviews: "The writing is beautiful but the story meanders" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters feel real but their choices sometimes don't make sense" - Amazon reviewer "Perfect capture of what it feels like to be an outsider at an elite institution" - LibraryThing review

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🎓 Columbia University's campus in Morningside Heights, where much of the novel takes place, was designed by renowned architects McKim, Mead & White and is considered one of America's most beautiful urban campuses. 📚 Ethan Canin wrote this novel while serving as a professor at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, one of the most prestigious creative writing programs in the United States. 🎬 The novel's Los Angeles setting draws parallels to F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Last Tycoon," another work exploring ambition and disillusionment in Hollywood. ⌛ The 1970s setting coincides with a pivotal period in Columbia University's history, following the famous student protests of 1968 that dramatically changed campus culture. 🖋️ Canin originally trained as a physician at Harvard Medical School before pursuing writing full-time, bringing a unique perspective to his character studies and observations of human nature.