by Michael Chabon
Magic, comic books, war, love, hate
and despair rolled up into a gripping well-written
epic.
Reviewed by: A.J. Kohn
About A.J. Kohn
Magic, comic books, New York City, Jewish folklore,
war, love, hate, despair, and even homosexuality are
blended together in a tight narrative in Michael
Chabon's 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and
Clay.' Books with such a sweeping, grand scope
shouldn't be this easy to read, but Chabon delivers a
great yarn through the lives of cousins Joe Kavalier
and Sam Clay.
Joe Kavalier flees Nazi-occupied Prague and finds
himself bunking with distant New York relative, Sam
Clay. The cousins quickly bond and soon embark on a
career in comic books, creating a popular hero - the
Escapist. 'Kavalier and Clay' is filled with details
on the golden age of comic books. The research is
clearly evident but delivered seamlessly as Joe and
Sam struggle, rise and finally succeed in the
business.
But 'Kavalier and Clay' isn't really about comic
books. Ultimately, relationships define this novel.
Joe has family back in Prague, and his anger and guilt
at leaving them seesaw back and forth, spilling over
into his artwork and life. And of course, there is a
love story. Over time, a strange love triangle
between the beautiful Rosa Saks, Joe and Sam develops
with surprising results.
Chabon skillfully unites different themes and stories
into one long saga. In fact, 'Kavalier and Clay' is
divided into six parts, some of which could stand
alone as short stories. Part one, titled 'The Escape
Artist' delves into golems and Houdini escape
techniques. Part five, titled 'Radioman', details the
harrowing story of survival, madness and combat at a
naval base at the North Pole. 'Radioman' is a
departure from the rest of the book in both geography
and tone and feels like its been retooled by Chabon to
fit into this sprawling epic. Normally, this type of
literary whiplash would disturb me. However, the
story is fantastic, an eerie white blanket of sadness
and despair that serves as a microcosm of the novel as
a whole.
This is a gritty, grounded book that doesn't blink and
never panders. It's heartfelt but not sentimental.
The themes are dark but the writing upbeat. The end
is sweet and sour, a mixture of satisfaction and
melancholy. 'The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' is
so good it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Okay,
I admit, the Pulitzer's can be hit and miss. They're
sort of like the Golden Globes of literary awards.
But this time they got it right.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
Copyright © by A.J. Kohn, 2002
Reviewed by A.J. Kohn:
-- Motherless Brooklyn - by Jonathan Lethem
-- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - by Douglas Adams
-- Stranger Passing - by Joel Sternfeld
-- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - by Michael Chabon
-- Bloodsucking Fiends - by Christopher Moore
-- The Long Rain - by Peter Gadol
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