Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Calvino’s novel is a charming experiment that is sure to hook anyone who comes across it. A book made up of only the beginning of books, linked together by a reader’s attempt to trace the rest of each of these books. The reader themselves, is presented in a metafictional way that directly addresses, you as the actual reader of the novel, plunging one into a convoluted ride, equally exciting and frustrating. From the outset, as Calvino speaks directly to the reader, mentioning their posture or reading environment, I was both amused and intrigued. The author then seamlessly transitions into the first story, setting the stage for the adventure that follows. Each narrative is interrupted at an intriguing point, left unfinished, as Calvino explains his experiment in crafting a perfect book—one composed solely of beginnings to avoid the potential disappointment of later chapters. Calvino writes —
“The romantic fascination produced in the pure state by the first sentences of the first chapter of many novels is soon lost in the continuation of the story: it is the promise of a time of reading that extends before us and can comprise all possible developments. I would like to be able to write a book that is only an incipit, that maintains for its whole duration the potentiality of the beginning, the expectation still not focused on an object. But how could such a book be constructed? Would it break off after the first paragraph? Would the preliminaries be prolonged indefinitely? Would it set the beginning of one tale inside another,”
Personally, I found this idea novel and engaging. But like a kid being shown a new magic trick, I found the magic wore off by the fourth or fifth repetition. Surely, there was another trick up the writer’s sleeve than just the continued repetitions? The book’s salvation for me comes in the form of the interspersed ‘reader’ chapters, where the author takes the time to discuss different ideas of the reading and writing experience. Many of these were extremely relatable felt like wonderful easter eggs in the middle of writing, for example, his idea on the difference between listening and reading that mirrored my oft experience with audiobooks.
“Listening to someone read aloud is very different from reading in silence. When you read, you can stop or skip sentences: you are the one who sets the pace. When someone else is reading, it is difficult to make your attention coincide with the tempo of his reading: the voice goes either too fast or too slow.”
The musings also often provided fodder for introspection. For example, his thoughts on how writing can interfere with writer’s enjoyment of reading, or when the reader is able to construct a profile of Ludmilla just based on her apartment.
“How many years has it been since I could allow myself some disinterested reading? How many years has it been since I could abandon myself to a book written by another, with no relation to what I must write myself? I turn and see the desk waiting for me, the typewriter with a sheet of paper rolled into it, the chapter to begin. Since I have become a slave labourer of writing, the pleasure of reading has finished for me. What I do has as its aim the spiritual state of this woman in the deck chair framed by the lens of my spyglass, and it is a condition forbidden me.”
The author also highlights the differences in the experience of reading shown through the contrast of characters such as Lotario, Irnerio, Flannery etc and dives into the role of censorship and manipulation in books and reading, which is still a central topic to this date. On top of all this, the writing in this book is also just exceptionally beautiful albeit at times difficult to follow through. I appreciated the way in which he is able to express certain ideas and thoughts that bring out his talents. For example, just reading the passage below;
“This is what I mean when I say I would like to swim against the stream of time: I would like to erase the consequences of certain events and restore an initial condition. But every moment of my life brings with it an accumulation of new facts, and each of these new facts brings with it its consequences; so the more I seek to return to the zero moment from which I set out, the further I move away from it: though all my actions are bent on erasing the consequences of previous actions and though I manage to achieve appreciable results in this erasure, enough to open my heart to hopes of immediate relief, I must, however, bear in mind that my every move to erase previous events provokes a rain of new events, which complicate the situation worse than before and which I will then, in their turn, have to try to erase. Therefore, I must calculate carefully every move so as to achieve the maximum of erasure with the minimum of recomplication.”
Overall, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler stands out for its quirky plot experiment, though it risks becoming stale. While the plot initially attracts, it is the strength of Calvino's writing and the themes discussed that retain the reader’s interest. Admittedly, however, even here it at times gets confusing and convoluted and this probably deserves a number of rereads to capture the full essence that the author intended to convey. This is a book perfect for readers who love metafictional reads, books about books and don’t mind having to scratch their heads a bit to try and keep up with the writer’s intent.
This was fun, intriguing and interesting, untill everything turned into the author's fantasies about women. Is there an experimental novel by a man where nobody fantacises about underage girls or sa? Is it too much to ask? I had high hopes for this author🖕
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
interesting for sure but sexist as fuck
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Stories within stories, a quest and an observation of writing and reading. Calvino has an amazing array of stories to tell.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Utterly brilliant. Completely challenged my perspective on what a story can and should be. Excellently written and has much insightful information and thematic pondering on the art of reading and writing conveyed in a clever and playful combination that never feels condescending. The ending is pretty cute too, and I love the slow escalation of the zaniness.
All in all, your appreciation of this novel will probably depend on how much you love literature and are open to a plot detailing the very nature of the relationship between book and reader. I for one very much enjoyed it.
All in all, your appreciation of this novel will probably depend on how much you love literature and are open to a plot detailing the very nature of the relationship between book and reader. I for one very much enjoyed it.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No