A review by skrrtvonnegut
C by Tom McCarthy

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I would be lying if I said I fully understood everything that McCarthy was trying to accomplish here, but there are so many masterful moments that getting a little lost from time to time was still totally worth it. In particular, the shift in tone from Serge's childhood in Versoie to being a WWI pilot was handled very well. In the early stages of the novel we get an absurd mythological pageant on the manor's lawn that calls to mind the off-kilter humor of a Wes Anderson film (complete with Serge's father Simeon, who I could only picture played by Ralph Fiennes), a fun and light scene that was among my favorite parts. And then, when Serge is flying in the war, McCarthy depicts the action through the both claustrophobic and dizzying perspective within the cockpit in ways that make the war feel all too real, nothing like the acted-out farce on the grass of Versoie. Even throughout the tensest parts, I found the novel kept a lot of its humor, which I really enjoyed. I think this is a book I will often think about and will only grow on me with time.