Self referential as ever

I must say I can't really understand the wide appeal of Paul Auster's novels: very centered and self-referential, convoluted narratives with many digressions and no or unsatisfactory resolutions.

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An original take on the detective story

I think that Paul Auster is probably a Marmite sort of writer. Personally, I love his books and this trilogy of stories, published in 1987 is almost an academic exercise. Certainly the second story is, whereby the characters have colour names and are given very little depth other than their position in the "story". Although these stories can certainly serve as basis for literary debate, they are, nevertheless, good readable stories with a beginning, middle and end. Essential for any story, really. The loose link between the stories is enjoyable.

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7 people found this helpful

Good narrator, I liked third story a lot

Good narrator, I liked third story a lot

Good narrator, I liked third story a lot

Good narrator, I liked third story a lot

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Old school private investigation

I really like Paul Auster’s writing style - detail heavy and full of intricacies and nuance - and this book of three stories is no exception. The three tales are loosely connected which adds another dimension to the overall complexities. Unusual and highly engaging, I really enjoyed these old school private investigation stories.

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2 people found this helpful

Could have been a short story

Though the mood of the novels is well created, I found myself wishing the novel to be over when I was half way through. The same theme could have been explored in a shorter piece and by the third novel I found myself having little curiosity for the outcome, and wanting to speed up to finish so I can move on to a more interesting story.

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Stylish, and superbly crafted.

Really great read, complex but not to challenging. The plots are delicately interwoven and can pleasantly catch you by surprise, a very accomplished trilogy. Will read more Paul Auster.

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It’s all very meta but is it a good read?

City of Glass- the first book in the trilogy- is loosely divided into three parts.
The opener reminds me of Haruki Murakami and is fairly lucid, albeit a detective story viewed through the looking glass.
The middle part is more Umberto Eco with lots of word play and literary references.
The final part I found less engaging as the plot disintegrates, becoming a rumination on the nature of being.
Many people have written essays on the book’s postmodern brilliance, since it was published in 1985.
However, I would have liked a really clever resolution that subverted established literary forms but also, importantly, provided a satisfying conclusion.
And now I need some light relief before diving into the next two books.

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5 people found this helpful

Simply remarkable

This is probably one of the hardest text to read, yet it is superbly done as an audio book! Paul Auster's brilliant writing is coming alive thanks to this fantastic rendition.
Well done, thank you!

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4 people found this helpful

the strange dreamlike quality

I very much liked the first book though it ended a little unclearly, and the second left me a little cold, perhaps too experimental, to the point i almost stopped listening, but the third really tied everything up and was quite awe inspiring in places, left me with images and ideas rolling around in my mind for days. the whole was also made clearer by the excellent interview at the end, which has left me keen to read/listen to everything else by Mr Auster.

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Delicious

A delightful read - clever, imaginative and beautifully written.

I agree with a previous reviewer who likened Auster to Marmite - you are seldom indifferent. Well, as my first Auster experience it took a couple of chapters but then it quickly became addictive! And it will require a second read to 'get' some of the nuances.

And... I rate books rather critically, and 5 stars are rarely given, the book has to be exceptional. So don't be put off by my rating it at only 4 stars; this is a 'nearly exceptional' book. And the narrator reads it beautifully - very sympathetic to the spirit and character of the novel.

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