Rating: 
Summary: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
Review: Josef Kavalier is a young Jewish refuge, dislocated to America thanks to the encroaching viciousness of the Nazi regime in his home country of czechoslovakia. Sammy Klayman is his cousin, a dreamer, a thinker, a boy who lives more in the world of his imagination than he does in the city of New York, his home. Kavalier meets Clay one quiet night, when the refuge arrives in New York scared, lonely and desperately missing his parents and brother, Thomas. They share a bed and form a friendship, sensing a kinship of souls that will soon reveal itself as a complex, compassionate and loving relationship that extends from their work into their personal lives.
While the book does chronicle the adventures of Kavalier & Clay as they struggle from being lowly workers at a novelty store, to creators of some of the most popular comic book heroes during WWII, the true hero of the novel is Josef Kavalier, Joe. We are 'inside' his head through most of the chapters, it is for him that we have the most compassion because of his immigration, his Jewish heritage - which Sammy does share, but his religious beliefs are certainly secondary - and his almost obsessive love for his lost brother Tommy, and his young love, Rosa Saks.
Josef is an interesting character. He studied under a magician, an escapist, for a time whilst in Europe, learning the tricks of the trade: Card tricks, picking locks, escaping. Through a number of - unfortunate - story telling contrivances, he is forced, again and again, to draw upon these skills. More positively, the first very comic character that the two create - The Escapist - is based upon the skills Josef has learned. This is a satisfying use of his background, I felt, rather than the sloppy device of yet another lock to pick or person to steal from.
Apart from this, though, is his love from his brother. For the better part of the novel, he is driven to succeed, purely so that he can save up enough money to get his brother out of Europe, and into the safety of America. When he is enjoying life - such as when he falls in love - he rails at himself, arguing that he should not experience fun, laughter, happiness, until Tommy is in America, and not a second before. When he does fall in love with Rosa Saks - the inspiration for Luna Moth, another famous creation of Kavalier and Clay - he is torn between his duty to his family, and the first flowerings of his love. To watch this is a fascinating experience, and possibly one of the highlights of the novel.
Another highlight is the way the story is told. While Josef is the focus, the narrative is able to step back from him and observe other characters in varied situations. The narrator, while never too personalised, is an omniscient, declarative chronicler. He mentions events in the future to further reinforce the current situation. He speaks of Kavalier and Clay with reverence, and when he is 'merely' discussing the actual people behind the team, he is no less respectful. As stated above, I did not feel that the language was this amazing: '...sentences so cozy they'll wrap you up and kiss you goodnight', but they were enjoyable. There is a never a sense of over achieving, or trying too hard, or anything like that. No, the prose is confident of its limits and its abilities, and works within that. Throughout the novel, I felt that Chabon was aware of what he could and could not do, and I felt confident in where he would take me and how he would get me there. This is as much a strength as the floweriest of prose, I believe.
Apart from Josef, there is Sammy, the other member of the great comic team. He is not in the spotlight very often, but nor would he want to be. Sammy, like the boy helpers he loves to create for his superheroes, is content as a sidekick. Another theme of the novel is him coming to terms with his homosexuality, and this is played out in a delicate enough manner right until the very end, when crudity takes over. Sammy is not a homosexual character, he is a character who happens to be a homosexual, and that, in my opinion, is the best way to handle him. Take away his sexuality - which is developed naturally, especially considering the difficulties imposed upon a young gay man in the 40s - and he is as deep and vibrant as any other. For a very long time, he is the ideas man of the two, the pusher, the confidence man, the kid who wants to be a man atop the mountain. Without Clay, Kavalier would never have extended his art into comics; he probably would have languished, sad and alone, never drawing for anyone but himself.
After the partnership of Kavalier & Clay crumbles, unfortunately so to does the story. We jump years, introducing new characters never fully developed, speeding through plots and ideas, dropping some and ignoring others. An interesting side story about comics as a negative medium is picked up, but then used in probably the most crude display of plot advancement I have ever seen, then dropped. Based on the quality of the rest of the novel, this was unforgiveable. The fact that it set in motion the ending was worse.
But, a few grave misgivings aside, this novel was very enjoyable. There is a lot of comic book history, a raft of interesting characters, and Chabon, I think, captures the way a young Jewish refuge would feel as he enters the vast world of American opportunity.
Rating:
Summary: Generally captivating, albeit a little too long-winded
Review: "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" relates the story of two business partners aspiring to make money out of a comic enterprise, weaves into it the timeline of the advent of comics in America and injects into it moments of humour and melancholy. Using the historical background of the years of World War II, Nazi Germany and US in the Great Depression, Michael Chabon accentuates the reason for the rising popularity of comic books - readers want to escape from the harshness of reality into the realm of hope, fantasy and inspiration depicted by comic books. The example of the comic "The Escapist" mentioned in the novel sums it all up - The Escapist possesses the miraculous ability to free himself from any clutches and locks that he gets trapped in.
The book also touches on the themes of brotherhood (between Kavalier and Clay) and love (between Kavalier and Rosa Saks, and Clay and Rosa Saks), henceforth making it a delectable concoction of both hard facts and emotional appeal. "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" is supposed to be, and should be, a highly interesting book packed with details, action and dialogues, bound by a fast-paced storyline. However, due to its length (six hundred over pages and small print on each page), my attention waned towards the last one third of the book. A pity, considering that the book has so much to tell.
Rating: 
Summary: Truly Amazing!
Review: "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" is a work that's difficult to describe. The 600+ pages cover the years from 1937 until 1954 in the lives of Josef Kavalier and Sammy Clayman, two Jewish cousins and best friends. Kavalier flees Prague in 1937 under intriguing circumstances (that are too good to give away), and ends up with Sammy's family (Sammy's mother and both boys' grandmother) in New York City. They're poor, they're approximately the same age (17 at the beginning of the novel), and they both have dreams of bringing the rest of Josef's family to America before the anti-Semitism burbling in Central Europe does more harm to the family.
Through happenstance, careful planning, and skill, the two boys end up creating a super hero comic book. Their hero, "The Escapist," fights crimes with the talents of an escape artist (a career that Joe once aspired to) and eventually superhuman strength. He wears a mask (of course), and a blue suit with a gold key emblem emblazoned on his chest. The book uses as a template the careers of many Golden Age comic book artists, but especially that of Siegel and Schuster, the creators of the greatest of all, Superman. Joe and Sammy work together, and The Escapist is catapulted to the top of the comics heap, originally conceived as a Nazi-fighter (before fighting Nazis was cool) and an outlet for Joe's rage and impotence, and an outlet for Sammy's creativity. They build up an entire comics company, Empire Comics, and their fights with editors, radio producers, and serial producers fuel the need for conflict in the book--as there aren't many between these two friends.
The novel follows them and their comic book creation through World War II, and into the 1950's...and it's not a smooth ride for anyone. It involves marriage, children, mysterious disappearances, and cameos from the elite of the time--everyone from Orson Welles to Salvador Dali (who nearly drowns at a "surrealist party"....and he doesn't drown in water...or even liquid for that matter) shows up, along with a Jewish Golem, Eleanor Roosevelt, and eight enormous braided rubber bands. We travel to many locations, the most exotic I've seen in a terrestrial book, but I don't want to give them away, because the locales themselves are major twists of the plot.
Now, just because this is ostensibly about comic books, many of you will be turned off--don't be. That's like saying you're not interested in "Death of a Salesman" because you don't like...uh...sales. The book is about human experience--about love, death, fear, regret, longing...but the two major players (of many) happen to be a comic book writer and artist. Now, if you happen to BE a fan of comic books, you'll love the scenes where comic books are discussed--Chabon references the Greats of all time: Schuster and Siegel themselves, Bob Kane, Gil Kane, Gardner Fox, Milton Caniff, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee....and uses them sparingly (for non-fans), but some of you may recognize the creators of Li'l Orphan Annie, Superman, Batman, Flash, Hawkman, The Human Torch, Captain America, The Sub-Mariner...this truly WAS a Golden Age; and although Chabon is careful to point out that "Golden Ages always seem to be in the past," he also says this was indeed a golden time for these people. So recently out of the Depression, not yet subjected to the full horrors of World War II, the bulk of the book is suffused with a hope that transcends the material.
Now, let's just say you're not a fan of Super-Heroes, of Escape Artists, of New York City, of the 1940's, or of Jews. Why on earth are you still reading this review? And why should you pick up "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay?" This is quite honestly the BEST novel I've read in a long time, possibly years. There were moments that made my eyes well up with tears, and scenes that had me laughing out loud. Chabon is literate, and has a beautiful style. His vocabulary is enormous, and it was delightful to read a novel that had words in it that I had to actually look up--or gather meaning from context. It was such a wonderful, active, immersing experience to read this book.
I give it my absolute highest recommendation. It made me want to create something important. Something lasting. Something I can be proud of. And I already have the cutest baby ever made, but this made me want to get out there and LIVE. This is a joyous, even when heartbreaking, book that you should make a part of your library. Read it. Another quick recommendation: The Losers Club by Richard Perez -- a much shorter but lively book I enjoyed. Read on!
Rating:
Summary: Witty, evocative, gripping--and just plain fun
Review: Both an ode to comic books and a love letter to New York City, "Kavalier and Clay" will appeal to anyone who enjoys the works of Charles Dickens, John Irving, E. L. Doctorow, and (to a lesser extent) Mark Helprin. Chabon brilliantly interweaves the story of two fictional comic-book artists and their creations, showing how their lives influence their stories and how their art in turn insinuates itself into their lives (to their success as much as to their ruin). Exciting and epic, humorous and heartwarming, the novel grabbed me with its intriguing first sentence and didn't let go until--less than 48 hours later--I mournfully reached the last page. The prose is masterful. A "flatulent poison-green river" separates Brooklyn and Manhattan; a woman boasts an "extravagant flying buttress of a nose"; a man has "skin the color of boiled newspaper." Framing these vibrant phrases are such throwaway quips as "In the immemorial style of young men under pressure, they decided to lie down for a while and waste time." Even the most seasoned writer must envy Chabon's ability to fill the novel with such vivid description and snappy witticisms, all the while keeping the action flowing at a vigorous pace. Any book this popular will have its detractors. The two most-often repeated complaints are the novel's length and florid style and its meandering second half and unresolved ending. I suppose in the age of MTV and factoids, the first objection is inevitable. (One amazon reader who apparently thinks literature began with Hemingway and ended with Carver gripes that Chabon's prose contains--heaven forbid--adjectives.) The second objection is a bit more understandable, but I'm glad that the author chose not to make his novel as tightly plotted as an Indiana Jones movie. Instead, "Kavalier and Clay" is as sprawling and unpredictable and fluid as life itself.
Rating:
Summary: Totally and completely amazing!
Review: I have just finished "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" and am experiencing the grief and regret one feels after closing the cover on a truly fantastic novel. Michael Chabon is an extremely talented and thoughtful author who has the ability to breathe life into every character who walks across the pages of his book. I grieve at the thought that I will no longer encounter this colorful cast and regret that I couldn't spend more time with them. Mr. Chabon has woven the experiences of two young Jewish cousins, one American and one Czechoslovakian, during the decades of the nineteen-thirties and the nineteen-fifties; how they evolve from strangers to partners and the best of friends, and support one another through the horrifying changes wrought on their lives due to WWII. This book is wonderful and not to be missed! Also would very highly recommend the novel THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD.
Rating:
Summary: Dynamite Novel - Joy to Read.
Review: I was impressed by Kavalier and Clay - the book does as good a job describing deliriously happy teenage bravado as any I've read. The characters are gutsy and real and immediately likable. Their fearlessness and ambition mesh well with the clear good guys and bad guys the story touches on - the writing throughout has a little of the comic book high definition zing to it.
It gets into more complicated territory as the story goes on and the world and characters loose innocense in large chunks. The black and white emotional high contrast Chabon imparts to his characters when young works less well when they are adults.
There are some spectacular bits of romance, and a stirring look at the thrill of work in an newly emerging art form and industry. Generally the writing is fantastic, though I cringed at some of the more intrusive forshadowing.
It's a book you want to read slowly, to get all the rich pleasure out of the characters; and also a book you want to read fast, to get as quickly as you can to the next step in the adventure.
Nothing if not a fun, dynamic, gripping read.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: Michael Chabon is America's most gifted storyteller. Throughout his career, from his debut novel (The Mysteries of Pittsburgh) to his newest work (Summerland) he has showcased his incredible abililty to create realistically flawed characters and fascinatingly well-conceived stories. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a detailed novelization of the history of the birth of comic books in 1930s America. Told from the perspective of two aspiring artists (Kavalier and Clay), the book magically portrays both the Jewish experience leading up to WWII and the development of an industry that would grow to involve billions of dollars and shape generations of young readers. With his detailed research and cleverly created characters, Chabon has, indeed, written a masterpiece. Incorporating the real-life figures of comic-book legends Stan Lee and Will Eisner (among others), the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay acts as a love letter to an artform that Chabon clearly loves very much. And to have thi sstory take place in an era of such turmoil only adds volume to the overarching themes of love, war and self-discovery. For lovers of comics, literature or just plain old good storytelling, Chabon has hit another homerun.
Rating:
Summary: Adventures galore
Review: Recently I've read three great books: THE LOVELY BONES, CHILDREN'S CORNER by McCrae, and THE AMAZING ADVENTURES. Of the three, AMAZING ADVENTURES was the best and held my attention the longest. It was the colorful illustration of the Empire State Building that drew me to this novel. As I adore NYC, I admit that I judged a book by its cover :) Fortunately my superficial purchase paid off, and I ended up learning a lot about the individual's view of the WWII era, the American can-do philosophy, and, surprisingly, comic books. In fact, Michael Chabon so phenomenally created the characters of Sam and Joe that their passion for comics actually rubbed off on me - an utter comic book virgin who now can't wait to try reading one. As the plot summary is just above, let me only add that the author is well aware of some of today's red-button social issues, and he doesn't hesitate to incorporate just about every one of them into his WWII-period novel. Despite some eyebrow-raising topics, you must admit Chabon's imagination is incredible and his imagery should rightly be termed as beautiful. Upon finishing, you'll be asking yourself how on earth can this man create such realistic fiction?! The book is long, but it does progress with some speed. Overall, you have a mix of sections that are page-turners and others that simply aren't. I enjoyed the book a tad less than immensely but a notch higher than really. Eventually, you should read this novel, but it is possible to let it wait on your bookshelf until you have finished up whatever you currently have your nose in---------------------------Also try the Sebold and the Jackson McCrae book for a great time.
Rating:
Summary: Holding out for a hero...
Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is at once an engaging thrill-ride of a novel. Beginning in the latter 1930's with the arrival in New York City of young Josef Kavalier from Prague at the home of his cousin Samual Klayman, Joe and Sam discover they have a mutual love of illustrating, though Joe exibits far more proficiency with a brush than his cousin.
Sam's connections with the novelty company he works for thrust them into the burgeoning world of comic books with their original creation, a costumed super-hero called 'The Escapist'.
Kavalier and Clay find themselves rocketed to the top of comic book fame, and ride the high life for a while, as Joe longs to free the family he was forced to leave behind in Prague, and Sam longs to free himself from suppressed desires that, at the time, were taboo.
A fine romance or two, a tragically ended immigration, an unplanned pregnancy, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and a near-death experience in Antarctica all figure into the Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, making for a wonderful read, full of twists and turns, heart-breaking and endearing at the same time, and delivering all the elements of the 'great American novel'.
Other reviewers have criticized Michael Chabon for writing a 'too lengthy' novel (a mere 640 pages!) which mystifies me...a book this engaging and well-written was one of those stories I hoped would never end..his vocabulary is wide-ranging, but also an opportunity to add to your own (i.e., if you don't know the word's meaning,....grab a dictionary) and his style, while grand and epic (such as a comic book is meant to be) is never TOO over the top, nor does it wallow in the picture-perfect Hollywood endings for one and all. The story, no matter how many 'cliffhangers' it delivers, ends justly...and on a bittersweet note...
A truly wonderful book, from start to finish, and a wonderful return, for me, to my childhood love of costumed crime-fighters, feats of daring-do; and truth, justice, and the American way. Thank you Michaeal Chabon, for enabling me to leap tall buildings with a single bound once again.
Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Escape
Review: This 2001 Pulitzer Prize winning novel was a personal delight for me to read. I was an emerging reader in the 1940s. I can reflect back on the joys of reading the adventures of comic book heroes. This was a trip down memory lane for me and I relished every adventure of Joe Kavalier as they played out in the theater of my mind. I got caught up in his adventures much like I did as a youth, spending hours at reading without a break. Michael Chabon's use of language enriched every scene and the character development was superb. I found nothing in this work to regret.
|
