A review by joehardy
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

5.0

This was a wonderfully strange journey through the acidic landscape of 50's-60's Southern California. Dealing with the increasing paranoia of the main character, The Crying of Lot 49 presents the reader with a story that, outwardly, appears incomplete. Like Odepia Maas (protagonist), we are presented with an incongruous conclusion which leaves many questions unanswered. This mirrors the characters' journey through the story, where, on multiple occasions, she avoids (knowingly or unknowingly) following loose ends to their possible conclusions.

I understand why this type of novel would not appeal to everyone. The ending left me wanting, for sure. However, between Pynchon's elegant prose, the duality of humor and tension throughout the pages and the overall bizarreness of the characters and plots, I found Crying to be a delightful read.