The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Posted on | July 14, 2010 | 5 Comments
It’s easy to see why Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is deliciously readable. Though neither of the main characters are super heros or special agents, Chabon keeps the pages packed with action and a definite sense of adventure for the boys as they manage sudden success, awkward dating situations, and the pain of losing family during the holocaust.
The book has a deep sense of metaphor throughout, but never gives in poetic abstraction. It’s the type of book you could read when you’re looking for something a little light, and then tackle again if you want to find a deeper meaning in the character’s desire to escape their current situations. The premise of the book fully exults genre fiction and comic books, but I think even those of us who eschew these forms will find the story enjoyable.
The only criticism that I have is that at certain points in the novel, Chabon either takes us into the narrative of the comic books themselves, or jumps forward chronologically and forces the reader to reorient themselves in the world of characters. The comic book sections are perhaps the most interesting and fantastic of the whole book, but as the book moves towards the end, years are skipped over the characters lose a bit of their charm.
All in all, the book is 650 pages, but moves quickly enough that you’ll want to take it to beach with you. I grew attached to the characters in the end and was grateful for the insight into the comic book industry during its golden age.
Who should read this: teenagers who don’t like to read, readers looking for a good plot.
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