A review by owenpeak
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino

4.0

I adored the many elaborately written moments in this book; the stories contained within the main plot were so well realised and gorgeously vivid in their prose. Moreover, the employment of the second person in the main narrative was a triumph as it surprisingly anchored the plot as it got more and more absurdist and farcical as the novel continued. I could appreciate the absurdist elements in their almost Borgesian glory, particularly their meta commentaries on the experience of consuming literary, the plight of the writer and the politics of literature/banned books, however these sometimes felt a bit overwrought and contrived at times, especially when you consider that the novel is relatively short for what it’s trying to accomplish. Similarly, I found the somewhat sexist undertones about the presentations of men and women a bit troubling and the ending didn’t pay off as much as it could have due to its abruptness. Even so, I really did enjoy this book and would recommend to anyone who is interested in the production/reception of literature or interconnected short stories.