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The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: Parts I and II
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Alison, the guru of grace
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May 03, 2009 05:40PM
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I'm in, or at least I will be starting it this week. Hopefully I like it enough AND have a schedule that allows me to get through it. Plans tend to come up when I find I would be content to be home alone. Or at least it seems that way. ;)
I am so looking forward to rereading this, it's one of my favorite books. It totally changed my opinion of Chabon, who I had considered overrated before K&C. (Although I still think The Mysteries of Pittsburgh A Novel is overrated.)
I am enjoying the read, Its my first book by Michael Chabon, and I can say without spoiling anything that right now his style impresses me so far. And I'm really enjoying the stories progression so far, its evoked a lot of emotion with me, I might just be moody and succeptible. But I'm going to carve out time to get through this hopefully within the next couple weeks. :)
Pardon me I am new to goodreads, and have never been a part of a book club before so not sure on etiquette/Layout, how to post thoughts with the group. So far "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" has prooved to be a good palate cleanser and a break from what I got use to in the first 4 months of the year. (Fantasy)
I wasn't sure at all what to expect with this book. I have never had a talent for literary analysis so I can only report what this book is making me feel, and why (if I can put my finger on it).
My very first impressions were that this is a touching story, about a friendship-yet-to-be. The hesitant introduction of the two protagonists and the angst ridden feelings of the naive Samuel Clay drew me in. I instantly found him relateable. The innocence and naivety completely charming.
The begins of Josef Kavaliers story tugged at me as well but for somewhat varied reasons. The story itself was crafted well, and almost enough to distract me from the utterly disturbing thoughts I have of Nazi occupied Prague. Peppered with just enough reminders of the gravity of this era, I enjoyed the story, but could never forget that this wasn't just an adventure in an ordinary time or city.
The setting of occupied Prague itself is enough to put me at unease. I have a hard time emotionally, whenever thinking about that period in humanities history. The lack of our humanity and how widely it spread. Ultimately knowing that Josef escapes to America provides small comfort not knowing what will happen to those he loves that must be left behind.
The idea of an 'Escape Artist' using his trade to literally Escape an occupied country has a sense of fancy and instills powerful hope. Layed out in a way that provides us both insight into Josef's character , and familiarizes us with his past. Josef's escape into his new life sets the stage for what I hope will be a wonderful story to come.
this will be my first time reading along with the rg book club and I'm really excited about this selection. It has been sitting on my shelf for three years and I'm finally going to read it!
Mary-Ann wrote: "Pardon me I am new to goodreads, and have never been a part of a book club before so not sure on etiquette/Layout, how to post thoughts with the group. So far "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier ..."
Mary-Ann - I thought it was very interesting that you mentioned K&C as a palate cleanser from fantasy. It's ironic, because I think this book has a very fantastic quality. It's not even fantastic realism, but Chabon seems to tap into the mystical elements of Judaism and allows it to inform his writing style. The Yiddish Policemen's Union has a little of the same quality, but combined with a kind of "hard-boiled" detective style.
Prague during the Nazi occupation was probably surreal enough on its own. Distant cousins of my husband spent a couple of years hiding in a confined space (I think it was a cupboard) in Prague during the war.
In recent years there's been quite a bit of fiction (and other art forms) dealing with the Holocaust, especially from a second and even third generation pov. Humanity will probably be working that history out in our cultural and artistic psyches for a long, long time.
I'm a little but fascinated by the subtly nuanced differences in what the rest of the world tends to view as a homogenized event. The Polish Holocaust experience was different from the Ukrainian experience, the Dutch experience, et al. It makes you wonder about Prague and their westernized, urbane Jewish population of the late 1930s. Did they think about the golem? Did they, on any level, expect anything?
While we consider the irony of the escape artist escaping to safety, I think we should keep Kornblum's admonition in mind. "Forget about what you are escaping from. Reserve your anxiety for what you are escaping to."
SPOILER
Josef never truly escapes.
I just finished part 2 and am still really enjoying it. I've read The Yiddish Policeman's journal and enjoyed it as well, but so far I like The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay better.
I'm really enjoying this book. I think it's a great story
I just started reading this and I can tell it's going to be totally enjoyable.Never read any other M. Chabon.
Funny... I bought the book yesterday on my way home from work and cracked it open after dinner.
My daughter gave me a strange look and ran into her room and came back with another copy that she bought the day before at the town library book sale.
Now I have a B& N credit for my next must have book purchase. (Yay!)
Meghan wrote: "oi! i am really hoping that spoiler wasn't for something later in the book (that's not part of the parts 1 and 2 discussion!) and am going to really try to forget i just read that (even though it w..."Meghan - sorry about the spoiler, but I assure you it is more philosophical than plot oriented.
Finally, I was able to start the book, and to enjoy it :) Ever since I got it and it was sitting on my bookshelf, I wanted to start it - so much I even read a couple of chapters in when I should have actually been studying for my biology exam. I didn't really get into the story then. I realized it had a huge potential for me to love it, but something small, intangible was somehow evading me.
Now, as I have my mind free, I can really enjoy the book!
I love how we see the relationship between Josef and Sammy build up. The scene after the days of non-stop drawing the comic when they fall asleep next to each other is really touching in a very subtle way.
Joe's character is totally fascinating to me. He is young and naive on the one hand, interested in the things normal young men are interested in (like how he wants to see Rosa Saks again) but on the other hand, he is very much determined about having The Escapist punch Hitler on the cover because it is sort of his revenge for everything he has already done to his family. He seems like a very determined young man and I am very much curious to see in what kind of a person he is going to grow up.
Chabon's characters generally are very fascinating. I also love Sammy's mother, and even through the few pages of descriptions of the grandmother, he manages to get us such a distinct image of her
I am glad I found the time and inspiration to enjoy the book. I can't wait to read on.
Now, as I have my mind free, I can really enjoy the book!
I love how we see the relationship between Josef and Sammy build up. The scene after the days of non-stop drawing the comic when they fall asleep next to each other is really touching in a very subtle way.
Joe's character is totally fascinating to me. He is young and naive on the one hand, interested in the things normal young men are interested in (like how he wants to see Rosa Saks again) but on the other hand, he is very much determined about having The Escapist punch Hitler on the cover because it is sort of his revenge for everything he has already done to his family. He seems like a very determined young man and I am very much curious to see in what kind of a person he is going to grow up.
Chabon's characters generally are very fascinating. I also love Sammy's mother, and even through the few pages of descriptions of the grandmother, he manages to get us such a distinct image of her
I am glad I found the time and inspiration to enjoy the book. I can't wait to read on.
Deborah wrote: "I am so looking forward to rereading this, it's one of my favorite books. It totally changed my opinion of Chabon, who I had considered overrated before K&C. (Although I still think [book:The Myste..."I'm with you, Deb, on thinking him overrated before. I'm really liking this so far. I also enjoyed Yiddish Policemen...
I was very moved and touched by the relationship between Josef and his brother. The scene where Thomas is passed-out outside the door and had Josef's picks with him just broke my heart. I was moved to look up Golem at wikipedia. I think it's great info for getting more out of the story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem#Th...
Here's also an essay by Chabon about novels as Golem
http://web.archive.org/web/2003040213...
