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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was - not the book for me - but it was recommended by Seattle public library.
Things that this book does well:
-it captures the tragedy and sadness and trife immigrants faced trying to find community during settlement.
-it develops complex and nuanced characters that are relatable.
-it plays with time in an interesting way.
Things I struggled with:
-graphic description of animal death (no fault of authors tbh, but I question the necessity towards the story)
-“villainous characters” were two dimensional
-female characters were almost objective pieces towards the plot, not active characters
-the lead protagonists persistence was difficult to understand when there are many times he might have stopped his journey. I would have liked more explanation why he kept on with his journey
Things that this book does well:
-it captures the tragedy and sadness and trife immigrants faced trying to find community during settlement.
-it develops complex and nuanced characters that are relatable.
-it plays with time in an interesting way.
Things I struggled with:
-graphic description of animal death (no fault of authors tbh, but I question the necessity towards the story)
-“villainous characters” were two dimensional
-female characters were almost objective pieces towards the plot, not active characters
-the lead protagonists persistence was difficult to understand when there are many times he might have stopped his journey. I would have liked more explanation why he kept on with his journey
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
adventurous
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is an unconventional western that pushes against the genre’s boundaries while telling the story of Håkan, a young Swedish immigrant who becomes stranded alone in the American frontier. As he wanders through vast, hostile landscapes, he grows into a giant of a man, feared by some, misunderstood by most, and perpetually searching for his brother who was lost early in their journey to America.
This novel makes for a thoughtful read during Hispanic Heritage Month, as Diaz, an Argentine writer, reimagines the American West through the eyes of an outsider. It’s a fresh perspective that challenges traditional narratives and asks us to reconsider the mythology of isolation, violence, and survival in the frontier.
That said, while I admired Diaz’s ambition and unique prose, the book sometimes read like a parody of Cormac McCarthy with grand landscapes, elliptical sentences, and meditations on solitude that occasionally tipped into excess. The result is a book that was at times brilliant, at other times repetitive or meandering.
Even so, I’m glad I read it, and it left me intrigued about Diaz’s range as a novelist. Based on what I’ve heard, I suspect I’ll enjoy his later novel, "Trust", even more as it seems sharper, more structured, and more in line with my personal tastes. Still, "In the Distance" is a memorable, strange, and thoughtful western that leaves a lasting impression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
No
In the Distance by Hernan Diaz is a bleak, lonely, and heartbreaking story. This book is not, by any means, fast-paced nor necessarily invigorating; on the contrary, I thought what made this book so great was the sort of jumbly passage of time, as if an old man were recounting the major plot points in his (again, dreary) life. Because I can't pick apart every passage that wowed me (and there were many), I'll settle with saying that I found Diaz' writing to be spectacular in a way that I'll be thinking about for a long while. Truly incredible work.
Side note that I drunkenly approached a stranger in a bar to rave about this book, if that says anything.
Side note that I drunkenly approached a stranger in a bar to rave about this book, if that says anything.