The Savage Detectives: A Novel by Roberto Bolano
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Book Reviews of The Savage Detectives: A Novel
Book Review: Original and thought-provoking
Summary: 4 Stars
Although it took me three months to read this book, I thought it was very worthwhile. The first part drew me in with interesting characters, many in the prime of youth and full of idealism and enthusiasm for poetry and love. The second part was, at times, difficult. So many different narrators. So many different stories. After a while there seemed to be a sameness to many of them: similar cadence, a matter-of-fact style of exposition. Many of the voices seemed to be articulate in a similar way. I suppose some of this could be a result of the translation. Some of the stories were more distinct and memorable than others. I have to admit, I almost gave up more than once.
The more I stuck with it, though, the more I came to think that complaining about the similarities of the individual narratives was like complaining that a mosaic is made up of similar tiles. When I finished this book, I felt that I had read a beautiful, melancholic mosaic whose subject was nothing less than life. The meandering, unexpected, dendriform (to use a word from the book), and frequently tragic nature of life. If you are intrigued by this book, don't be dissuaded by the negative reviews here. It is a challenging book, but also a rewarding and thought-provoking one.
Book Review: Worthwhile, But Not an Easy Read
Summary: 4 Stars
While critics swoon over this novel, I'm not quite so sure. At 648 pages, it takes a big commitment to negotiate, although the prose is quite breezy. At the heart of the reader's struggle is this question: What meaning can the reader find in this story? It is here that I find Roberto Bolano lacking. The lives of the many characters portrayed in "The Savage Detectives" do not form a cohesive picture of a compelling narrative. While I found the characters interesting, and it is my interest in their lives that kept me reading, nothing is resolved and nothing is clarified. Maybe that's the point---the pointlessness of life itself. As atmospherics, this is a very good book as it details the lives of South American would-be poets, bohemians, in Mexico, South America and Europe during the period 1976 to 1996. The structure of the book is, initially, a diary of a young poet, and then the first-person stories of the many people who came in contact with them. As literature, I can appreciate how good Bolano's creative imagination is and how artful is his prose. But, admiration does not necessarily create enjoyment. I have a sense of accomplishment that I got through the book, but at the end, I felt "at last" rather than "so soon."Book Review: Not as good as 2666, but still impressive
Summary: 4 Stars
I guess I could call myself spoiled, because my introduction started with 2666 and The Romantic Dogs.
The Savage Detectives, as is well known, chronicles the lives of fifty plus poets over a span of some forty years. The first and last part revolve around a wannabe poet, Juan Garcia Madero, and the middle (and arguably the first and last) center around Arturo Belano (the alter ego of the writer himself) and Ulises Lima (reputedly an alter ego of Mario Santiago, a friend of Bolano's), the founders of a ficitonal poetry movement called "Visceral Realism".
And that's about as far as the plot goes. For those of you who prefer tightly woven, gripping plots, this book is certainly not for you. For people who prefer existentialism for existentialism's sake, this book is a must. Engaging characters (some are better than others, but most are entertaining), anecdotes of humor, shock, and things you would never expect (There's even a duel!), Bolano wrote a work that is addicting and frustrating at the same time.
To anyone who has never read Bolano before, I suggest SD, 2666, and if you like poetry, The Romantic Dogs.
Book Review: Imperfectly entertaining
Summary: 4 Stars
This book was a lot of fun. It has serious things to say about literature and especially the particular literary scene where it's set, but it's also really funny, even kind of daffy. Many reviewers have pointed out that it rambles and ambles and doesn't always cohere, and that's a fair assessment. This is a book that could have used a good edit, but the author is dead and the book is what it is. I disagree with the reviewers who call it slow, but I did have to force myself to speed up some and not linger and labor over the details and names. Then it was, as I said, a lot fun and yet deadly serious in what it has to say. It wasn't quite the book I wanted it to be, but it was definitely worth the time it took.Book Review: (4.5) Amazing Literature But Pales In Comparison To 2666
Summary: 4 Stars
Bolano's first novel of great length is the work of a masterful genius (is that redundant), but when held up against 2666, it feels fairly insular. The diary is amazing, but the oral histories can ramble a little bit. All in all amazing and certainly the best novel released in the English language in 2007.