2666
This chaotic mess of a novel is the posthumous publication of Roberto Bolano, arguably one of the most important writers in Spanish of our time. His earlier work, including the very readable Savage Detectives, made him a star in his native Mexico and made him a darling in the literary and scholarly world.
This final novel, which is actually five novellas, was intended to be published in five parts. The publisher, however, subverted Bolano’s wishes and published the entire thing in one volume at one time. As a result, it is possible–and recommended–that you read the book as five separate novellas.
The first one is probably the most readable and palatable. It follows the trail of three academics searching for a reclusive German author. However, it takes about 75 pages of often-frustrating but beautiful language to finally get to the story itself. To be honest, the other four parts are not only difficult to get through, some of it is violent, graphic, and distasteful.
The story of Bolano’s death and the writing of this novel– over which he was laboring at his death in 2003–might be more interesting than this difficult and sometimes boring novel.
2666. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004. 898pp. $30.00.
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