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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Wow. I have finally conquered this Goliath and I feel triumphant. By “conquering this Goliath” I mean that I understood about 65% of it - which quite frankly I feel an honest and fair assessment. It has been so long since I’ve really challenged myself with a book and I am thankful for my own insistence of seeing this project through.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Is the novel(s) good? Yes. But it gets slow and meandering. An interconnected trail of reading. But, while reading you can feel the talent of the author. You can feel that a lot of him is straight ripped from his soul and put into this novel.
Its pace makes it difficult to finish though. Part five was my favorite.
Its pace makes it difficult to finish though. Part five was my favorite.
I feel like I should get a prize for finishing this book. (oooh, I think I did: a new book from Em!).
Seriously, this book was a MARATHON. I'm not going to say it wasn't worth it, but it was work. It's a novel that BEGS to be worked on, in fact. It didn't come together quite as nicely as I thought it would (it is 5 very separate sections), but then, I suppose that's part of the point-- not that it made it any more satisfying. But then again, post-modern lit. and I have never quite gotten on together (and I would classify this as at least quasi-post-podern). The 4th section, about the murders in Ciudad Juarez (here another city) was brilliant, but pretty brutal to read, and I ended up skimming big parts of that section. I think the problem is that the writing style, which is a sort of post-modern South-American Magical-Realism, is engaging for only so long before you start to feel a little assaulted by it. Unless you're in for the long haul, or are doing penance for some reason, I'm not sure I'd recommend this one.
I give it three stars as a tribute to some moments of real brilliance and the overwhelming nature of the project as a whole. Dear. Lord.
Seriously, this book was a MARATHON. I'm not going to say it wasn't worth it, but it was work. It's a novel that BEGS to be worked on, in fact. It didn't come together quite as nicely as I thought it would (it is 5 very separate sections), but then, I suppose that's part of the point-- not that it made it any more satisfying. But then again, post-modern lit. and I have never quite gotten on together (and I would classify this as at least quasi-post-podern). The 4th section, about the murders in Ciudad Juarez (here another city) was brilliant, but pretty brutal to read, and I ended up skimming big parts of that section. I think the problem is that the writing style, which is a sort of post-modern South-American Magical-Realism, is engaging for only so long before you start to feel a little assaulted by it. Unless you're in for the long haul, or are doing penance for some reason, I'm not sure I'd recommend this one.
I give it three stars as a tribute to some moments of real brilliance and the overwhelming nature of the project as a whole. Dear. Lord.
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
At times I didn't think I would actually finish this not because it's long but because it didn't seem to have an obvious end. It reminded me of "Gravity's Rainbow" more than anything, at least in its last part detailing the grubby absurdity of the 1939-45 War. If 'war' is 'muddle' says Sven Hassel at some point in "Legion of the Damned"; but that is actually what 'war' means. Not conflict, but discord. Which fits in to the fourth part with its interminable lexicon of murders - discord yet again. That the murders are based on a series of real murders in Ciudad Juarez fits oddly with the book as it is hinted that we may find out who committed the murders, rather than them being an ongoing war against the vulnerable and poor, such as many people claim is happening at the moment. (and, much like with violence in jails, it looks like the authorities would be quite able to sort it out if the will was there but for some reason it isn't).
The first parts seem less intense and serve mainly to bring in the character of the unlikely-monickered Benno von Archimboldi; this must be a pseudonym, says one character early on, thus lampshading what the reader has already thought. It does not feel like the novel is intended to tie together; Bolaño published it in five parts though apparently because, feeling his latter end approaching, he wanted to get the early parts out and published so that his family would be provided for. Part 5 is more interesting providing a wartime story and the reason for the von (Baroness von Zumpe, who engages in interesting amounts of Zumpe-pumpy particularly with General 'Horsecock' Entrescu). Then there is the Furst Puckler stuff at the end (i.e. the Furst shall be last), which can only serve to indicate that people can be known to posterity for the oddest of reasons (but have sex with one pig's head ...).
Strangely though although long novels I have read in recent years (Infinite Jest, Blood Meridian) have stayed with me and influenced my writing style, this one didn't. Perhaps this is a good thing, meaning it conveyed itself limpidly and without obstruction.
The first parts seem less intense and serve mainly to bring in the character of the unlikely-monickered Benno von Archimboldi; this must be a pseudonym, says one character early on, thus lampshading what the reader has already thought. It does not feel like the novel is intended to tie together; Bolaño published it in five parts though apparently because, feeling his latter end approaching, he wanted to get the early parts out and published so that his family would be provided for. Part 5 is more interesting providing a wartime story and the reason for the von (Baroness von Zumpe, who engages in interesting amounts of Zumpe-pumpy particularly with General 'Horsecock' Entrescu). Then there is the Furst Puckler stuff at the end (i.e. the Furst shall be last), which can only serve to indicate that people can be known to posterity for the oddest of reasons (but have sex with one pig's head ...).
Strangely though although long novels I have read in recent years (Infinite Jest, Blood Meridian) have stayed with me and influenced my writing style, this one didn't. Perhaps this is a good thing, meaning it conveyed itself limpidly and without obstruction.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
