I was blown away by this novel, going into it i had no idea what to expect, but what I got was something at once bitingly satirical, vulgar, hallucinaI was blown away by this novel, going into it i had no idea what to expect, but what I got was something at once bitingly satirical, vulgar, hallucinatory, absurd, grotesque, hysterical, surreal, and filled with genuine sentiment and a joyful, life affirming attitude. I won't recap the synopsis which you can easily find elsewhere online, but through the adventures of the titular giants and their unforgettable companions (most notably the cowardly and devilish Panurge and unflappable Friar John truly steal the show especially towards the end of the novel) we are shown a world filled with fantastical creatures, eccentric characters, distinct cultures and politics, and a kaleidoscopic procession of countless strange and exotic locations. The way the novel effortlessly blends comedy with an incredibly erudite style and a wealth of knowledge of history, philosophy and other matters was really astounding. It truly feels like a book many centuries ahead of its time. I would be remiss if i didn't comment on the abundance of low brow humor that appears throughout the book, although i felt like it served to lighten the tone and remind the reader not to take things too seriously....more
A masterful example of psychological realism, the intricate descriptions of the inner thoughts of the major characters are second to none. I felt it dA masterful example of psychological realism, the intricate descriptions of the inner thoughts of the major characters are second to none. I felt it dragged slightly in the middle but by the end i was completely engrossed with the plot and found myself deeply moved by the plight of protaganist Julien. a young man by turns possessed with raging ambition and overwhelming passions. The book has a strong line of cynicism running throughout, with Juliens immoral and hypocritical behavior seemingly being a product of his environment, where insincerity and deceit are often the order of the day. Stendhal is able to place you in his head sufficiently, so acts that may seem illogical or even outright loathsome are completely believable. The novel also gives a unique insight into the sociopolitical landscape of post Napoleonic France. All in all, I highly recommend it...more
I found the Brothers Karamazov to be profoundly moving. the prose isn't the most elegant or floral but the themes and characters feel incredibly real I found the Brothers Karamazov to be profoundly moving. the prose isn't the most elegant or floral but the themes and characters feel incredibly real and fleshed out. the sheer emotional intensity and philosophical depth of many scenes are rivaled only by a handful of other authors. The fever dream in which Ivan has a debate with the devil still sticks in my memory even several years after finishing the novel...more
One of the funniest books ive read, filled to the brim with ribald and vulgar humor that is somehow perfectly at home alongside heartbreaking pathos wOne of the funniest books ive read, filled to the brim with ribald and vulgar humor that is somehow perfectly at home alongside heartbreaking pathos worthy of Dostoevsky. Its clearly the work of a writer at their absolute peak, with Barth able to effortlessly jump from character to character without missing a beat, with language completely suited to the time period in which the novel is set(the contrasting style of the majority of characters with the dialect and speech of john smiths journals being especially noteworthy) . The book is also simultaneously a biting satire, and celebration of the ruthless and wild American way of life and of human nature at large. Ebeneezer Cooke makes for the perfect holy fool, who has filled his head with all the scholarly learning that befit an aspiring poet laureate, but which along with his lofty ideas of innocence often fail to bring him anything other than trouble....more
the whole book is brimming with a lucidity of thought rarely glimpsed, Proust seems able to grasp moments of supreme profundity out of the air as if ithe whole book is brimming with a lucidity of thought rarely glimpsed, Proust seems able to grasp moments of supreme profundity out of the air as if it were the most natural thing in the world. the nature of memory and the experience of being alive are described with astonishing clarity. the madeleine passage still stands out as one of the most stunning moments i've come across in a novel....more
i can easily see why its considered one of the greatest novels ever written. for all its comedy (and there is no shortage of laughs) it has one of thei can easily see why its considered one of the greatest novels ever written. for all its comedy (and there is no shortage of laughs) it has one of the most soul crushing endings i've ever encountered. by the end i had gone from wanting the man to snap out of his madness along with the other characters to desperately hoping he would not relinquish his fantasy's. I think the parallels to the way our own dreams and hopes are a kind of madness that stand in spite of the crushing bleakness of reality was incredibly powerful....more
a tour de force, in many ways i prefer suttree to Blood Meridian, which i also consider a supreme masterwork. Suttree is a sort of bildungsroman, but a tour de force, in many ways i prefer suttree to Blood Meridian, which i also consider a supreme masterwork. Suttree is a sort of bildungsroman, but one which also functions as a tragedy as well as a comedy of errors. Our titular Suttree suffers calamity after calamity, much of it self inflicted, with a sort of detachment that belies a nihilistic despair. a powerful intelligence sets him apart from the low lives he passes his time with, and as a reader we hope to see him finally get away from his squalid surroundings, but sense that perhaps he feels that he deserves to remain in the hell he has immersed himself into.
The book depicts a faulkner-esque vision of a decaying south, descriptions of which paint a tableau reminiscent of the most hellish passages of Dante. Much of the sprawling biblical prose of Blood Meridian can already be seen at work here, where the events depicted are often grotesque, occasionally mundane, but are elevated to high art by the quality of the writing....more
a definitive work of nihilist fiction. Drenched in bleak irony, the story of anti-hero bardamu's adventures in the first world war and subsequent voyaa definitive work of nihilist fiction. Drenched in bleak irony, the story of anti-hero bardamu's adventures in the first world war and subsequent voyages abroad are clearly the work of a bitter and cynical author who nonetheless manages to hit on several universal truths of human existence....more
An astonishing collision of biblical and apocalyptic imagery paint the west as one of Bosch's visions of hell. The orgiastic displays of violence thatAn astonishing collision of biblical and apocalyptic imagery paint the west as one of Bosch's visions of hell. The orgiastic displays of violence that fill many of the pages leave little room for a romanticized view of the west. The Judge is of course the standout element as one of the most terrifying villains in the history of literature, but its the outstanding quality of prose that makes Blood Meridian the greatest novel ever written about the American west. also owes much to Moby Dick, and is rich with allusions to that novel...more
a satirical skewering of the American consumer state of the 1980's that is also a deeply startling glimpse into death anxiety, among other interestinga satirical skewering of the American consumer state of the 1980's that is also a deeply startling glimpse into death anxiety, among other interesting topics. ...more
Incredibly dense and full of rich descriptions, the Recognitions could be read alternatively as a critique of art, a social satire, or a comical trageIncredibly dense and full of rich descriptions, the Recognitions could be read alternatively as a critique of art, a social satire, or a comical tragedy. It's characters fail to connect on any meaningful level, they are deeply alone people, looking for the authentic in a sea of bad imitations and forgeries. A vast multilayered epic and what seems to me the archetypal post modern novel...more
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