A review by podanotherjessi
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

challenging inspiring slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My expectations going into this were quite off. I thought this was like a non-fiction style account of these men, but it's much more narrative than that. When I adjusted my expectations, I could enjoy it more, but it was still confusing to get real facts about comics interspersed with the fiction. That said, I really liked the characters in this. Sammy, Joe, and Rosa are very complex and deal with such interesting struggles. Rosa, in particular, was incredibly relatable to me.
The plot, however, had ups and downs for me. Tonally, it was awkward because I was expecting whimsy, and this was a dark and sad story for large portions of it; not surprising given it's about Jewish people during the mid-20th century, but when the main character is an escape artist-turned-comic artist, it's just a little jarring for me. And a felt the time jumps really interfered with my emotional attachment.
I would have loved to see Rosa and Sammy trying to make a family together rather than hearing about it after 13 years.

Overall, this was well written and compelling. I'd recommend it to people that enjoyed Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Or people that didn't like that but like the idea of exploring the bonds between people and their complex lives through their art. 
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