Roberto Bolano's 2666
Man, I feel like I've been reading this book for a year. It's almost 900 pages long--of course, they're mostly 900 very good pages, but it's kind of slow going. The story is divided into five parts, and halfway through the first part--about a bunch of academics who all study a reclusive German writer--I was sure this was going to be on my best of the year list. This impression lasted through parts two and three, and then I got to "The Part About the Crimes" (that's what it's called). Much of the story alludes to a border town in Mexico where women are being murdered, and the part about the crimes is pretty much just that. Sure, there's plot and characters, but for THREE HUNDRED PAGES, there are many, many descriptions of the discoveries of the bodies of women who have been raped and murdered. For three hundred pages! I tore through the first three parts and then it took me like four days to get through those pages. Horrifying. Because the novel was published posthumously, I assume it didn't get much editing, and that section could really have used some--I mean, I almost didn't keep reading. But I'm glad I did, because part five, the story of the reclusive German writer, was pretty great, and really brought it all home. A/A-.
PS: Hanukkah content! I saw a Best Buy commercial today that was Hanukkah themed (a dad buys a daughter an ipod accessory for the first 7 nights of Hanukkah and on the 8th she gets the ipod). Anyway, hooray for big box stores caring about Jews (even if it is just to shill ipod accessories. I mean, honestly, why would you need 7??? I have, like, the headphones mine came with, some speakers, and a little case I knitted). I don't think I've ever seen a Hanukkah commercial before, so it was pretty awesome.
5 comments:
why is the book called 2666? the constant raping sounds luh-vley.
yeah it is good that at least one commercial this holiday season is about the big H. though those commercials are annoying. although they are better than the ones of the people walking in slo-mo into the parking lot with their gigantic best buy bags. best buy has improved.
I have no idea why it's called that.
We don't see the raping--we don't know who the killer is--but we just see people finding dead girl after dead girl. Really awful.
It was a very silly commercial--I was just glad to see Hanukkah acknowledged!
I'm just over the hump of this dense five pounder. I took it on a trip to LA, so the flight/layovers provided ample time and without other books to capture my intention.
I had seen The Virgin of Juarez a couple months ago, that with hearing news reports, I had a real idea of what's been happening there. Great, I have about 200 more pages of it to read. ugh
I LOVED 2666. The (an) answer to the title, or a sign post for the title is in another Bolano book. They are all connected.
Which book? The Savage Detectives? I've been meaning to read that.
I loved most of this book--don't get me wrong!--I just was pretty sickened by all the murdering. Which I realize is part of the point--but it did lessen my enjoyment a little.
Post a Comment