Vizio di Forma - Books Babb.no

Paperback, 470 pages

Italiano language

Published Feb. 8, 2011 by Einaudi.

ISBN:: 978-88-06-20282-8

California, inizio anni Settanta. Doc Sportello, investigatore privato con una passione smodata per le droghe e il surf, viene contattato da una vecchia fiamma, Shasta, che gli rivela l'esistenza di un complotto per rapire il suo nuovo amante, un costruttore miliardario. L'investigatore non fa neanche in tempo ad avviare le sue indagini che si ritrova arrestato per l'omicidio di una delle guardie del corpo del costruttore, il quale è intanto sparito, come pure Shasta. Sembrano le premesse del più classico dei noir, ma ben presto le coincidenze piú strane si accumulano e il mistero si allarga a macchia di leopardo. Doc inciampa così in collezioni di cravatte con donnine discinte, in falsi biglietti da venti dollari con il ritratto di Richard Nixon, in un'associazione di dentisti assassini nota come Zanna d'Oro, che è però anche il nome di un sedicente cartello indocinese dedito al traffico di eroina. Leggi di meno

14 editions

Rudi reviewed Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon

Review of 'Inherent Vice' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I have never read anything else Pynchon has written, and I have not seen the movie based on this book. Yet.

I found this to be a difficult book, but I am certain that the fault is with me and not the book itself. There are lots of people that come and go in this book, and I have a terrible memory for names. Which one was Bambi again? And Jade? And Petunia? Often I found myself just reading on, hoping that I would remember eventually. But I'm sure if I had made more of an effort then this would not have been a problem.

At times I got confused as to where the story was going, and after finishing the book I was sure I had missed some parts of the plots. But after checking online, it appears I did not. Some parts are just, well, more confusing than …

I have never read anything else Pynchon has written, and I have not seen the movie based on this book. Yet.

I found this to be a difficult book, but I am certain that the fault is with me and not the book itself. There are lots of people that come and go in this book, and I have a terrible memory for names. Which one was Bambi again? And Jade? And Petunia? Often I found myself just reading on, hoping that I would remember eventually. But I'm sure if I had made more of an effort then this would not have been a problem.

At times I got confused as to where the story was going, and after finishing the book I was sure I had missed some parts of the plots. But after checking online, it appears I did not. Some parts are just, well, more confusing than others. I still very much have a sense that much of this book went way over my head. (This might also be a good time to point out that English is my second language)

I did enjoy the book, though! It was not just difficult. Doc is a great character, and the interactions between him and the other characters is a joy throughout the book. The "mystery"-part of it seems like a (good) excuse to challenge and explore the characters. But even though I never really care much about who-dun-it, it's a joy following Doc stumbling on clues and pieces of information.

I read this now, because I wanted to have read the book before I saw the movie. I think that was a wise choice - but I very much look forward to seeing how PTA has translated it to the screen.