This book is so good, I love these kinds of procedural novels. I read Six Four and this reminded me of what it’s like to get the perspective of all the journalists in that novel. 

Why not finish if I’m halfway through? Because this book does not mix well with 🪴 and the munchies. But. Iconic feminist literature, I want so badly to finish but I’ve genuinely gained 5lbs. Which is a testament to the writing. 

At about 1/3 of the way through, this book is still reading like an alternate and lesser version of The Wind Up Bird Chronicle to me. Haruki is very hit or miss with me, this one was a miss. 

I also feel really uncomfortable with the narrator talking about his sister’s developing breasts and how consistently objectified all women are in his books. When he’s good, he’s great. When he’s not, he’s a misogynist. 

I appreciate what the author is trying to do, it just reads as them trying too much. There’s not enough substance to warrant the ambiguity.

It’s an amazing book, I’ve just been really having a struggle mentally and put it down for too long to remember anything. I’m definitely going to come back to it, but need to read some novellas and shorter pieces to get back into the habit before I go for longer books. 

Honestly I really like this book I’m just not in the mood for this genre right now, I am excited to read this soon though! I just started it at the wrong time. But what I did read was phenomenal - the descriptions are just enough, and the dialogue between the characters is so well written. It’s amazing. It’s just not what I need right now. 

Maybe I’ll try again at some point but this whole beginning just dragged on in the most painful way. The way the characters are explaining things about themselves is such a bore I’ve fallen asleep twice. 

I’d like to come back to this soon. As for now, I appreciate and recognise Pynchon’s craft. I’ve enjoyed a decent amount of what I’ve read. But, it is wildly confusing. The way he has written Stencil specifically, it just makes this read so far unbearable, trying to understand what he’s doing or read his conversations. Pynchon spends so much time building these wonderful, finely tempered characters, even those who will only exist for a moment - but it becomes so confusing. What am I supposed to pay attention to? What is relevant to the plot? 

I want to try again and finish it out of spite alone, but until that time, I’m d o n e. Genuine admiration for everyone who has finished this book. 

I might pick it up again later but the pacing just doesn’t do it for me. I thought I’d connect more with his story, maybe I would with the later years, but the intro and his childhood unfortunately do not resonate with me. The writing is good, just not enough to keep me engaged in reading.