I’m about two-thirds of the way through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Klay. It’s a great book, but it’s totally depressing me! Chabon has written the characters so that I really, really care about what happens to them, but their lives are dealing them so much misery . . . I want them to find real happiness, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards for them so far.
Has anyone else read the book? I’m currently at the part where Joe has found out about his brother’s ship being sunk by the Germans, and Sam is about to be embroiled in the scandal at Love’s place. I can’t wait to see what else happens!
I thought that it was a decent book, but not Pulitzer-worthy. Kavalier is a well drawn character, but Klay just seems to be a collection of every gay stereotype that exists. Also, the minor characters are barely developed at all. The writing is top quality, and the descriptions of the comic books that they create, and of the comic book industry in general, are fascinating material.
I can’t remember ever being more depressed than I was when I finished that book. Usually I’m about as easily-manipulated as they come and will cry at the opening of a bank*, but when I finished this I was too depressed even to cry. I won’t spoil it or anything, but I will say that it’s not a “fun, light” read (but the ending is satisfying).
I do feel a little like I got the bait-and-switch, though. I kept wishing it was more about comic books, as they implied it was going to be. As it was, it seemed like Chabon wanted to write a book about an escape artist but happened to meet a bunch of interesting old-school comic book makers along the way, and ended up working them into the story.
I haven’t enjoyed a book as much as AAKK in a long time. I didn’t think it was depressing so much as melancholy bittersweet. There were a number of times I read a sentence again and again and again because I thought it was so beautifully written.
I disagree with ITR champion. The Pulitzer is about depicting “Americana” and I thought AAKK did it really well.