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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
To write a review that would do this book justice, I would have to be as good of a writer as Paul Auster...and I am most certainly not. I would also have to be as unbelievably brilliant, and well read, and creative...and again, I am really, really, really not. The best I can do, therefore, is say READ THIS BOOK. But there is a caveat, or two. It is long (about 900 pages) and requires certain wherewithal...there are lots of things to keep straight as you venture through the different versions of Archie Ferguson's life, but it is worth it, it is sooo worth it. And (sort of spoiler alert), there is a twist at the very end that, at least in my case, made my jaw drop...and also made me smile and think "ah ha, now I get it." I was left with the sensation that the whole "journey" had even been more worth it than I had originally thought. One more thing, there are short stories sprinkled throughout this novel that are seriously among the best I have ever read...just an added bonus.
Somewhat interesting book by Paul Auster, in which he traces the childhood and early adult life of Archie Ferguson. The catch is that there are four parallel stories in this 800+ page book. Each story follows similar lines, but the Ferguson of the story has slightly different events and therefore his life evolves in a much more different direction. In one of the stories his father is killed early on, in the other one he is killed early on and so on.
The need for this weird literary device is explained only at the end of the book, but I did not find it very convincing. The stories are somewhat interesting and describe the life of a young Jewish boy living around New York in the 50's and 60's, but there is no strong cause combining all these 4 stories and it soon becomes no more than a literary gimmick.
I would suggest the reader to read each story independently so that it is easy to follow, so goodbye to sequentially reading the book. Each chapter is marked with the parallel path number and section number for that path, so it is easy to follow.
The author's description of these exciting and volatile period of 20eth Century U.S. history is enjoyable by itself, but the whole literary device left a bitter taste in my mouth.
The need for this weird literary device is explained only at the end of the book, but I did not find it very convincing. The stories are somewhat interesting and describe the life of a young Jewish boy living around New York in the 50's and 60's, but there is no strong cause combining all these 4 stories and it soon becomes no more than a literary gimmick.
I would suggest the reader to read each story independently so that it is easy to follow, so goodbye to sequentially reading the book. Each chapter is marked with the parallel path number and section number for that path, so it is easy to follow.
The author's description of these exciting and volatile period of 20eth Century U.S. history is enjoyable by itself, but the whole literary device left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Simplemente genial. Un planteamiento que me reencontró pues ya lo había repasado en mi, pero Auster lo plasmó increíblemente. 35 horas o 960 páginas que me cuestionaron profundamente.
One of the funniest. Saddest. Most profoundly beautiful books I have ever read. An incredible experiment that fires on all cylinders as Archie Ferguson grows up and becomes four different men.
My review of 4 3 2 1 can be found on Storify:
https://storify.com/Mondy74/4-3-2-1-by-paul-auster
https://storify.com/Mondy74/4-3-2-1-by-paul-auster
I originally gave this 4 (4 1/2) stars but since finishing it I can’t stop thinking about it. I have come back to give it 5 stars.
So apparently this Paul Auster guy is quite famous and there was much hype about this being his first book in seven years. I haven't read any of his previous stories so I didn't know what to expect from this book - but what a book! In every way, epic. I can't imagine sticking with a story this long (all 880 pages of it) and detailed if it wasn't as beautifully crafted as this one. I've mentioned in previous book reviews what a sucker I am for the 'multiple versions a life' narratives. I just love the idea of these parallel universe options for the same set of characters and this book is very brave in its attempt to present four possibilities. I ended up having to write notes on my phone so I could track what happens in each version but it wasn't that confusing really and the author absolutely nails the variation and engagement. Quite often through the month that it took me to tackle this book, I wondered where this was all headed but (without giving away any spoilers) I have to say I found the ending satisfying in a low-key way. This is a beautiful book, described by many as a love letter to New York, but I feel like it is a love letter to life and how much we are shaped by our circumstances and experiences. If you want a hearty book that you can really sink your teeth into and be carried away by, then this is undoubtedly the best book you could choose in 2017.
At times exhilarating and exhausting, this magnum opus by Auster is, in my opinion, up there with some of the best books I have ever read, ever. Forget that for many hours of reading, all four Fergusons blended in my mind forcing me to go back and re-read parts of it many times, I just loved it and hugged it hard when I was finished. This is my first book by Auster and hope to read NY trilogy next.
I found this book tedious, which wasn't helped by the fact it's very long. Also, given the extent to which it is based on the Author's own life, a bit too self-congratulatory for me.