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danielkallin04's review against another edition
4.0
Pynchon makes clear that you can link any number of things and create a meaning - a connection - and yet that connection could all be meaningless. Like Maxwell's Demon, is the connection but a coincidence, breaking the laws of physics. Like Tristero, is everything just a paranoic desire for some purpose, breaking the laws of history.
Pynchon can make me invested in any of the most meaningless conspiracy theories, captivated by unusual characters - theatre directors, Nazis, DJs, anarchists - and can then tell me its all for nothing and I would not care. The experience of his novels is enough for me - the crying of the lot is more exciting than the identity of the bidder.
Pynchon can make me invested in any of the most meaningless conspiracy theories, captivated by unusual characters - theatre directors, Nazis, DJs, anarchists - and can then tell me its all for nothing and I would not care. The experience of his novels is enough for me - the crying of the lot is more exciting than the identity of the bidder.
guppyur's review
1.0
Thank god this is over. The first forty-five percent is impenetrable and the remainder is not worth penetrating. I could barely make myself slog through it, and at under 200 pages that's quite a feat. I have no idea why this is considered a classic.
The prose is as tortured as they come. Reading it is like listening to Robin Williams -- every time you latch on to one thought, Pynchon careens off in another direction -- but less entertaining. It bears some resemblance to the also-bizarre but less-terrible Orion, You Came And You Took All My Marbles by Kira Henehan, which was a strange read but one I enjoyed well enough. That was her debut, and if you enjoyed this one I think you may also enjoy the Henehan. I would not be surprised to see Henehan cite Pynchon as an influence.
I hesitate to even describe the plot, thin as it is. It concerns Oedipa Maas, named co-executor of the estate of one Pierce Inverarity, and in the process of executing that duty she begins to discover and investigate a possible long-running conspiracy. Kind of. It hardly merits the name. Along the way Oedipa and the other characters will say and do a great many things that don't make any goddamned sense.
Recommended if you hate yourself. It's even worse than all the people writing unbelievably pretentious reviews about it trying to be cutesy.
The prose is as tortured as they come. Reading it is like listening to Robin Williams -- every time you latch on to one thought, Pynchon careens off in another direction -- but less entertaining. It bears some resemblance to the also-bizarre but less-terrible Orion, You Came And You Took All My Marbles by Kira Henehan, which was a strange read but one I enjoyed well enough. That was her debut, and if you enjoyed this one I think you may also enjoy the Henehan. I would not be surprised to see Henehan cite Pynchon as an influence.
I hesitate to even describe the plot, thin as it is. It concerns Oedipa Maas, named co-executor of the estate of one Pierce Inverarity, and in the process of executing that duty she begins to discover and investigate a possible long-running conspiracy. Kind of. It hardly merits the name. Along the way Oedipa and the other characters will say and do a great many things that don't make any goddamned sense.
Recommended if you hate yourself. It's even worse than all the people writing unbelievably pretentious reviews about it trying to be cutesy.
ethanb79's review
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
adholmes3's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
cheee's review
1.75
judging by all the things i love that were inspired by Pynchon i feel that I should love this book, but i found it irritating. maybe im not smart enough
szmnsk_'s review
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5