Rating: 
Summary: Wow...just, wow.
Review: What a fantastic book. If you're looking for one of the best recent attempts at the "Great American Novel" then look no further. Chabon has taken key events in 20th century American history and woven a touching and fascinating portrait of two American heroes who chase ruthlessly and passionately after their dreams. They write and draw comic books, and through this creative outlet, Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay fight against the evil in this world (most specifically the Nazis).Sam and Joe create "The Escapist", and through him, they filter their life experience, resulting in a Houdini-esque Superman. Their hero frees the enslaved men, women, and children of the world from the bonds of slavery, whatever form they may take, and it is the study of this notion that Chabon makes so interesting. As fictional as this tale is, it's set firmly in places and times with actual persons from the era, such as Salvador Dali, Orson Welles, Stan Lee, and so on. History doesn't just pop up from time to time to remind you of the setting, instead it is integrated into the very fabric of the book. The Empire State Building stands proud and tall as almost an additional character, and New York is given a wonderful depicition by Chabon as well. Well, I'm rambling at this point, but needless to say I loved this book. It's one of the best things I've read all year, so get it.
Rating:
Summary: Heartbreakingly good
Review: Well written, powerful and very deserving of any award it receives.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: Chabon takes great effort to develop the stories (the "amazing adventures") of Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay, two Jewish boys who turn to comic books as a means of escape... Chabon's writing style is a joy. He can draw forth the whole spectrum of human emotion with his words. The majority of the "action" takes place in the first 400 pages, which are filled with humor, romance, and hope. The last part of the book is slower, but because the reader has gotten to know the boys as they were in their idealistic stages, the sadness that accompanies their later years is just as touching. Chabon's dialogue will leave you laughing out loud at times. He pulls no punches and takes no sides: instead of making broad statements about the persection of the Jews by the Nazis, or about homosexuality, he tells it from the human perspective. I can see how some people can't get into this book. If you can't get into the characters or into the storyline, the last third of the book is going to be a drag. But if you take your time to enjoy the book, to enjoy the adventures of Joe and Sammy and appreciate the parallels between the real world and their created world, I think you will appreciate the beauty of these two guys' adventures.
Rating:
Summary: Adventure and deep thought; one of the best books I've read
Review: So far, this is my favorite book of the year. And not just because it involves the comic book industry; it's been over 15 years since I've collected comic serials, after all, and from what I've seen of them I've no desire to go back. This book stands on it's own and transcends the label of fan publication to become one of the best contemporary novels I've ever read. There's so much here that it's hard to summarize; a heartbreaking story of a young man's escape from Austria in 1937 to New York, and the frustration of his every attempt to send for the doomed family that purchased his freedom; a young boy's fascination for escapes and magic; the early years of the comic book industry and its role in American thought at the start of the Second World War. There are also nailbiting sequences of survival in Antarctica and bombs in high-rises, rococo explorations of Manhattan high-society in the 1930s, and a few nifty explanations of complex magic tricks. It covers almost 20 years in the lives of three characters, and I was welded to the page the entire time. Jon Sciesza, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, has written that many of the books students are asked to read in K-12 education these days are not appreciated by boys. In his article, he states, "I think schools and parents sometimes handicap their efforts to get boys reading by not offering boys the books that will inspire them to want to read. So many required reading lists and favored books in schools reflect women's reading tastes." I think Sciesza leans a little too hard on gender stereotypes, but if ever there was a book to combat this, a book that can be appreciated by everyone because it delivers a great yarn with beautiful prose, this is that book. An exceptional acheivement, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone who might be reading these pages.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome change from the main-stream fiction we usually see
Review: This book is a great read with witty dialogue and beautifully developed characters---although I agree with a few of the other reviews in that the dialogue at the end of the book is not as crisp as the early chapters. The symbols are really huge and the word "subtle" has no place here, but I think that was the point----there was nothing subtle about symbols of the comic book genre either!
Rating: 
Summary: Tour de Force without a conclusion
Review: Michael Chabon is just brilliant throughout much of this book, though the pleasure is in the journey, not the conclusion. This book is vibrant, creative, detailed, a might Dickensian (in the unsuspected personal connections), and well worth a read.
Rating: 
Summary: it chased me away
Review: Men kissing and pretentious writing, contrived words and
confusion between reality and make-believe all combine to either make me look ignorant or impress all those prize judges. Or both.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but Over-Rated
Review: This is one of those major event novels which the critics seemingly are forced to gush over, but which proves slightly disappointing. The bravura early chapters are certainly Pulitzer material, but the narrative loses steam and passion. Joe's wartime misadventures particularly seem forced. Chabon's big metaphors become strained. Finally, the oddball marriage and unlikely reconciliation that close the novel feel contrived. You'll learn fascinating things about the comic book business, but you won't get the masterpiece novel you've been promised.
Rating:
Summary: a different road for Chabon
Review: As always, Michael Chabon takes on another trip in his world. This time, he goes back to Europe to begin an adventure quite worthy of the classic comic books. I certainly hope this book has been optioned to the movies, since I can see in my mind's eye Joe and the Empire State Building. A sensational read, even tho it may seem slow at the beginning, it's worthy hanging on. Can't wait to see what road Chabon goes down next!
Rating:
Summary: Impossible to Put Down
Review: I picked this book up off my father's shelf, after he'd tried and failed to read this book. He warned me, saying that it was drawn out and unreadable. To my great happiness, and his chagrin, I loved it. I spent all the time that I had alloted for myself to studying for finals on reading this book. My grades suffered a bit, but my mind did not. Although I'm wary of giving away too much plot, the main story is of two cousins who follow their dream in creating a comic book, and the story of their lives from that point on. At the same time, the book explors the themes of dreams, escapism, and individuality. It paints a great picture of life from 1930-195?. This book was exciting to read because of its wonderful language, ambling pace (which draws the reader in, further and further), and characters to which the reader can easily relate. I'm a voracious reader, and I have to say that it is one of the best books, if not the best book I've read as far as I can rememmber. Don't hesitate to pick this up. At the least, you'll adore it, and at the most, it'll change the way you look at your life and the world around you.
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