I read this as part of a read-along organised by English Major's Junk Food and was a great excuse for me to read this one which was on my TBR list.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay won the Pulitzer prize in 2001 and at over 600 pages (with quite small writing) in which themes of sexuality, death and the holocaust feature this is a book I was looking forward to reading and getting stuck into.
There are two main protagonists, Jewish cousins, Sam Clayman and Joe Kavalier. The novel starts when Sam is woken in the middle of the night by his mother who introduces Joe who has escaped from Prague just before the start WWII. Together they end up taking the comic book world in New York by storm with their character the escapist used to wage their own personal war on the Nazis.
There characterisation of the two protagonists is wonderful who throughout the novel become rounded figures complete with their own likeable and more dislikeable traits. The pain that Kavaliers feel as his family including his young brother are left back in Prague is heartbreaking and Claymans confusion over his sexuality is nicely played out.
While the novel started off promising and which included a daring escape from Prague, from about page 100 it became (and I hate to say this) a bit of a chore to read. There was nothing wrong with the writing or plot exactly but for a few hundred pages the novel just seemed to ‘plod’, it was laboured and it felt too long. It did pick up again about 150 pages from the end and I did find the ending quite touching but by that point I think the author lost me abit.
Would I recommend this? This is certainly a highly original book and aside from the middle section I quite enjoyed it. I think its best to check out other reviews like this one as perhaps this is one which just didn't fully work for me.
Verdict 3/5
Posted by Jess
Sorry to hear you didn't really like this one. I loved it when I read it. The characters were unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteI found this to be a sandwich read too. I loved the beginning and end, but that comic bit in the middle lost me and I nearly gave up half way through. I'm really pleased that I carried on as I loved the ending and in the end I thought it was a very good read.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my all time favorite books. I can see your "sandwich" reasoning but with me the whole book simply resonated.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ManOfLaBook.com
I confess the size of this one has turned me off of it for far too long. I do have it on my shelf and hope to read it, but I never seem to have a sense of urgency about it. I'm glad to know it drags in the middle so I can anticipate that when I do get around to reading it!
ReplyDeleteurchased this the other day but I don't know when I will get around to reading it. I have only heard good reviews so i am looking forward to it
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this one. It took me a try or two to get hooked, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. I do understand your criticisms, however. The middle section was slower than the others. I think there's a 'momentum factor' at play in this book. If the opening grabs you forcefully enough, you cruise through the middle parts before getting sucked back into the ending. Good comments!
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of Michael Chabon's work. I enjoyed this but admit that at various points in the book I found it trying and a little slow. But I'm happy I kept reading because the last third of the book I thought was really great. It was nice to enjoy an ending rather than be disappointed by it!
ReplyDeleteLa Coccinelle - I cannot fault the auther at all for his charactization, they were memorable and they really grew old didn't they?
ReplyDeleteJackie - its a shame the middle section was the bulk of the book!
Man of la Books - I am fully aware that I am very much in the minority on this one LOL I'm glad you loved it though (along with practically everyone else thats read it!)
nomadreader - I hope my review didn't put you off but yeah its best to be prepared for the middle bit.
Becky - I think mine might be the only negative one out here so please do read it and I hope I didn't put you off.
petekarnas - I think your momentum comment summed it up perfectly as the beginning was so frantic almost (esp when they were just setting up the comic) but for whatever reason it started to lack for me :(
Amy - thats very true, the ending was certainly not a disappointment, my husband is currently reading his warewolves book and so far he loves it so its not all negative (hopefully) for Chabon on this blog.
It sounds like it is a good book for a discussion -- Books on the Nightstand will be hosting an online/call-in discussion of this book in January
ReplyDelete(http://booksonthenightstand.com/2010/10/botns-books-podcast-98-national-reading-group-month.html)
and I'm planning to read it in time to participate.
Aww, what a shame you didn't love it. I adored the first half more than the second, but the strength of the first part carried me through quite nicely..
ReplyDeleteI, too, am sorry you didn't get as excited about this book as I did. Joe even made it onto my top ten list of fictional crushes!
ReplyDelete(http://thebluebookcase.blogspot.com/2010/10/top-ten-tuesday-christinas-fictional.html)
Thanks so much for participating even though you didn't enjoy the book quite as much as I did! I agree that at times the book didn't seem quite long and never ending, but maybe I was just more mesmerized by Chabon's writing. Very well rounded characters too, as you mentioned.
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