Kavalier & Clay
¶ by Rob Friesel
Having just completed my reading of Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, I am profoundly impressed with how stunningly excellent this novel is. I was floored in just about every way. To say that this novel had the same effect on me as Infinite Jest or House of Leaves would not be true but that said, it also does not diminish how expertly written, how masterfully crafted this fine piece of literary genius is. I feel ashamed that I had not heard of it until quite recently.
Chabon’s epic romp through the Golden Age of Comics is a true stand-out that I’m not certain how to characterize other than (please pardon the oblique pun) marvelous. The prose is alive with brilliant imagery and metaphor, following his two protagonists though two decades of youthful intrigue and into middle-aged rebirths. I was captivated by how the prose evolves along with the characters as well, watching its sophistication increase and mutate as they matured within the novel.
There are too many stand-out moments to attempt to capture them all here. I will say this, however: the story brings so much to the table and (like any good novel) it forces you to confront and question your beliefs and values.
Highly recommended.
Not bad for the first read of the year. One down, eleven to go…
currently playing: Textures “Nu Grooves”
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