Kavalier and Clay, Pt. 2

Well, I finished Chabon's novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. It was a very good read and a well-written story. I certainly think it deserves its accolades and awards. That said, I also have to say that it didn't rise up to the hype in my mind. I would rank it as one of my better reads this year, but I wouldn't put it in my top 20 all time favorites. It's good, but it doesn't have the hallmarks of a classic. The one thing about Chabon that I do think is quite extraordinary is his ability to craft a creative story concept. The whole idea of comic book writing and the frame of the idea of "The Escapist" as a comic book superhero to parallel the life of Josef Kavalier is pure genius and pure fun. And Chabon is an equally superb narrative storyteller. You can see the same genius at work in The Yiddish Policeman's Union, where the story concept of a post-World War II temporary Jewish homeland in Alaska as opposed to the Middle East was also quite creative and intriguing. Nevertheless, Kavalier and Clay ended with a whimper. Chabon just lost the narrative steam in the last part of the story, and I gathered that he just didn't quite know how to wrap the story up. Still a good read, though, and one I'm glad I invested the time in. Next up, and I've already started it, is Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove. Let's see if this one lives up to the hype.