The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Part VI - FINAL Discussion (January 2012)

[William]

Discuss the 6th and final section of the book here.

[William]

The final section of the book wraps up things that need wrapping up, but contains quite a few surprises (well, it did for me) along the way.

if you didn't finish reading the book yet, STOP HERE.
I'm going to spoil things for you, and I'm not gonna use spoiler tags, but this thread is for people who've finished it!






The scene at Houdini's grave surprised and choked me up, and the return of the Golem shocked me, and I felt genuine panic with the initial concerns of what else could be in the box.

Sammy's self-imposed exile/search for identity/? at the end of the book was to a certain degree expected and unsatisfying, but for me it's not a criticism of the book, but an accurate depiction of homosexuality of the times, which of course was difficult.

By the end of Part IV, I was enjoying it, and would have given it 4 stars, by the end of Part V, I was dazzled, but unsure of where it would all lead. By the final page, 5 stars was assured. Great book.

[William]

For no reason at all, I include my own review I tattled off upon clicking "I'm finished". I hope any reading this will agree or even better, disagree!

This is a book that's easy to see people giving up on, or getting confused by. Not that it's hard to follow, it's not. But your expectations will be played with, rewarded, and punished, at different times. Roll with it, and just enjoy. The impatient will at times be frustrated with seemingly pointless details crammed into many spaces, and I feel your pain. The rhythms of this book are like that of life, sometimes long periods are filled with tedium, other times the most meaningful or frightening moments last only a few seconds.

At times I found the prose of the book simply dazzling, a word I come back to again and again when thinking about this book. One section of the book is so daring in it's execution, I know I'll keep it in mind for the rest of my life.

Good sushi is a study of contrasts and complements. Several mild notes that alone amount to little, but together form a gentle, yet deeply touching experience, but just at the moment you are aware of this harmony, the acid bite of a single drop of vinegar, or the spicy slap of wasabi reminds you that a little contrast can show you what all that harmony is really for. This book, like sushi, might not be for everyone, but for those who are receptive, have a lot of "Umami" to look forward to.

[Logophile]

What a poetic review! I finished this a couple of days ago, and I have to say I found the ending rather unsatisfying. But, as you said, not unrealistic. I just wished for more resolution. Even with Joe and Rosa, I wondered how that was really going to work out.

[Adam]

I really, really enjoyed this book. I had been warned about the end and expected disappoint, but I was not in the slightest. Perhaps, the unrealistic part of it was the rapidity with which Rosa forgave and returned to Joe. I suppose, however, that she had developed an understanding of the degree to which the plight of Joe's family (particularly his brother) influenced his every action and this could have made forgiveness easier. The family dynamic with the return of Joe would have been undoubtedly awkward with Clay remaining. I liked that Chabon allowed Clay to seek happiness after having sacrificed for his cousin and Rosa for twelve years in a role that required him to be someone that he was not. I also thought that Chabon did well in showing that Clay's hesitation in leaving was based primarily upon the connection that he felt with Tommy after fathering him for twelve years.