Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner


finished 7/25/04............. American Classic ............. rating 10

When I first started this book I absolutely hated it. It's the first Faulkner I've read, except for short stories, and his style is so complex, so convoluted that it's very difficult just to get through the sentences. But it sets a mood for a long involved history. And then the structure of Absalom, Absalom is another matter in that it revisits the same events through the eyes of different characters (all of whom speak with pretty much the same voice). There's an enormous amount of repetition. It took about 3 times as long to read this book than it would usually take me to get through 300 pages. It was exhausting to read for many reasons..

By the middle of this book I had developed an appreciation for Faulkner's style and a vague idea of what he was trying to do and say. The themes abound and I was fascinated by the history. I kept going. I had also become actively engaged in Faulkner's incredible plotting and the wonderful characterizations. I was watching some themes develop through the style, the plot and the characters. I'll admit that Faulkner is brilliant, if challenging. His work is original (which is definitely a part of the challenge) and I can see where he influenced many later writers.

And by the time I finished the book I had become accustomed to and almost enjoyed the 10 line sentences and the 5 page paragraphs and the rambling, stream of consciousness that, from what I hear, characterize most all of Faulkner's work. I'm interested in reading more Faulkner, maybe As I Lay Dying or The Sound and the Fury or even more short stories, but it'll be awhile.

Posted: Mon - July 26, 2004 at 10:10 AM      

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