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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is infuriating, addicting, way too long, possible brilliant or possibly just juvenile. I loved it.
Just excellent. I love the way story was told.
Really cool concept that makes you think but the execution of it was far too wordy and lengthy for me. The ending is great!
DNF
Двеста петдесет и кусур страници постмодерна мастурбация ми стигат, свръхдетайлно описаното израстване на герой, който очевидно ще бъде писател или нещо достатъчно близко на писател (преводач или журналист ми идва на ум), защото не са достатъчно писателите пишещи за детството си в романи-гимики, е толкова сухо и механично написано, че когато Фергюсън.2 бива ударен от клон и убит ми се прииска да съм на негово място, за да си спестя бегемотните абзаци. Не знам какво ниво на мазохизъм трябва да постигна, че да довърша остатъка от тази повърхностна енциклопедия за спорта и политиката през 60-те + обещание за четири различни съдби, което в такъв формат не вярвам, че ще бъде изпълнено като хората (особено като след 150 страници са три).
Двеста петдесет и кусур страници постмодерна мастурбация ми стигат, свръхдетайлно описаното израстване на герой, който очевидно ще бъде писател или нещо достатъчно близко на писател (преводач или журналист ми идва на ум), защото не са достатъчно писателите пишещи за детството си в романи-гимики, е толкова сухо и механично написано, че когато Фергюсън.2 бива ударен от клон и убит ми се прииска да съм на негово място, за да си спестя бегемотните абзаци. Не знам какво ниво на мазохизъм трябва да постигна, че да довърша остатъка от тази повърхностна енциклопедия за спорта и политиката през 60-те + обещание за четири различни съдби, което в такъв формат не вярвам, че ще бъде изпълнено като хората (особено като след 150 страници са три).
Paul Auster werkt in dit meesterwerk vier parallelle levens van Archie Ferguson uit.
In dit boek volgen we vier keer Archie Ferguson, een Joodse jongen geboren in 1947, die opgroeit in New York. De vier verschillende paden ontstaan door kleine verschillen in Archie's relaties met zijn omgeving en de keuzes die hij en zij maken.
Soms is het een uitdaging om de verschillende versies van Archie uit elkaar te houden, vooral in het begin. Maar naarmate hij ouder wordt en Auster de verhaallijnen verder uitwerkt, ontstaan er duidelijke aanknopingspunten om de verschillende Archie's te onderscheiden.
Ik ben persoonlijk een grote fan van hoe Paul Auster de tumultueuze jaren '60 naadloos verweeft in het boek en hoe elke versie van Archie een ander maatschappelijk strijdpunt belicht, zoals sociale kwesties, raciale spanningen en de Vietnamoorlog.
Paul Auster schrijft op een moeiteloze, vloeiende manier, waarbij hij vaak gevoelens, interacties en gedachten zeer gedetailleerd beschrijft. Op geen enkel moment tijdens het lezen van 4 3 2 1 had ik het gevoel dat ik het boek moest neerleggen omdat het vermoeiend werd. Gezien de 880 pagina's is dit al een huzarenstukje op zich.
Hoewel het geen autobiografie is, vond ik het interessant om de gelijkenissen te zien tussen Archie en Paul Auster's eigen jeugd en jongvolwassen jaren. Beiden zijn geboren in 1947 in New York in een Joods gezin, hebben een band met Newark, gingen naar dezelfde school en universiteit, delen een liefde voor Franse literatuur en Parijs, en maakten het overlijden van een jeugdvriend mee.
In dit boek volgen we vier keer Archie Ferguson, een Joodse jongen geboren in 1947, die opgroeit in New York. De vier verschillende paden ontstaan door kleine verschillen in Archie's relaties met zijn omgeving en de keuzes die hij en zij maken.
Soms is het een uitdaging om de verschillende versies van Archie uit elkaar te houden, vooral in het begin. Maar naarmate hij ouder wordt en Auster de verhaallijnen verder uitwerkt, ontstaan er duidelijke aanknopingspunten om de verschillende Archie's te onderscheiden.
Ik ben persoonlijk een grote fan van hoe Paul Auster de tumultueuze jaren '60 naadloos verweeft in het boek en hoe elke versie van Archie een ander maatschappelijk strijdpunt belicht, zoals sociale kwesties, raciale spanningen en de Vietnamoorlog.
Paul Auster schrijft op een moeiteloze, vloeiende manier, waarbij hij vaak gevoelens, interacties en gedachten zeer gedetailleerd beschrijft. Op geen enkel moment tijdens het lezen van 4 3 2 1 had ik het gevoel dat ik het boek moest neerleggen omdat het vermoeiend werd. Gezien de 880 pagina's is dit al een huzarenstukje op zich.
Hoewel het geen autobiografie is, vond ik het interessant om de gelijkenissen te zien tussen Archie en Paul Auster's eigen jeugd en jongvolwassen jaren. Beiden zijn geboren in 1947 in New York in een Joods gezin, hebben een band met Newark, gingen naar dezelfde school en universiteit, delen een liefde voor Franse literatuur en Parijs, en maakten het overlijden van een jeugdvriend mee.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Ambitious is not quite the word for this novel. The depth and breadth of this project go beyond ambitious. Is it hubris to create four iterations of a man's story, each a novel in itself? To situate each man's story within "definitive" discussions of big historical events? To devote considerable pages, more than once, to outlines of the man's story ideas and French poetry translations, creating more narratives within narratives? To make each story so insistently about the man that all other characters fade into the tapestry of his backdrop? (for ex: "Ferguson squandered the next six months pursuing two different women who were not worth the effort of pursuing and shall remain nameless because they are not worth the effort of naming")
There is an arrogance here that builds as the book progresses, so that by the time the last Ferguson standing concludes the story, after the thousandth page, and reveals himself to be the god-like creator of all the other Fergusons, I could think of no better words than Dorothy Parker's: "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."
There is an arrogance here that builds as the book progresses, so that by the time the last Ferguson standing concludes the story, after the thousandth page, and reveals himself to be the god-like creator of all the other Fergusons, I could think of no better words than Dorothy Parker's: "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."
Per descrivere questo libro mi viene in mente un solo aggettivo: monumentale. 4321 è una specie di libro dei libri, un immenso pezzo di bravura con una complessità tale da poter essere paragonato a un classico russo. Usando il "what if" in maniera spinta, Auster fa vivere al suo protagonista quattro vite, intrecciando gli stessi personaggi principali in tutti i modi possibili, senza mai perdere il filo e una straordinaria coerenza, raccontando nel frattempo in modo esaustivo, ma mai noioso perché mediato dagli occhi del suo multiplo protagonista, una bella fetta della storia degli Stati Uniti del secolo scorso; e fornendoci illuminanti squarci sul suo rapporto con la letteratura e la scrittura. Un libro che, nonostante la sua lunghezza, non riesce a stancare.
Ringrazio Faber and Faber Ltd e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
To describe this book, I can think of only one adjective: monumental. 4321 is a kind of book of books, an immense piece of skill with such complexity that it can be compared only to a Russian classic. Pushing the "what if" to the extreme, Auster makes his protagonist live four lives, intertwining the same main characters in all possible ways, without ever losing the thread and an extraordinary coherence, telling in the meantime in an exhaustive way, but never boring because mediated by the eyes of his multiple protagonist, a huge slice of the history of the United States of last century, and providing us with enlightening insights into his relationship with literature and writing. A book that, despite its length, can't tire.
I thank Faber and Faber Ltd and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
Ringrazio Faber and Faber Ltd e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
To describe this book, I can think of only one adjective: monumental. 4321 is a kind of book of books, an immense piece of skill with such complexity that it can be compared only to a Russian classic. Pushing the "what if" to the extreme, Auster makes his protagonist live four lives, intertwining the same main characters in all possible ways, without ever losing the thread and an extraordinary coherence, telling in the meantime in an exhaustive way, but never boring because mediated by the eyes of his multiple protagonist, a huge slice of the history of the United States of last century, and providing us with enlightening insights into his relationship with literature and writing. A book that, despite its length, can't tire.
I thank Faber and Faber Ltd and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes