A review by ka_cam
Distant Star by Roberto Bolaño

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I would have gotten more out of it if I understood more of the literary references- sometimes entire paragraphs listing authors and poets - if I knew enough to understand what they were referencing (and know which are made up) I would have had a richer reading experience. If one is more literary than I and/or more involved in the world of poets and authors it may be a bore gratifying read. I did enjoy the unstable narrator and how questions of trauma and identity are played out through what he does/things not what is said about him. The ending was mysterious but it suited the rest of the book’s style.
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