Rating: 
Summary: Not life-changing, but worth the read.
Review: When I read this book, I didn't even know that it had won the Pulitzer Prize--there's no trace of that information anywhere on the library hardback that I read. So I was blissfully unaware that I was reading what was supposed to be a Literary Masterpiece, and I would have been surprised if I had known. There's no doubt that Michael Chabon is a master of his craft; his writing is a mix of the matter-of-fact and flights of fantasy, and often reality is granted an additional glow of the magical. His characters are real from the start: Sammy, Joe, Ethel and Kornblum are not talking heads, but characters who are distinct and touching in their fallibility. Probably the best aspect of this book is where it deals with art, and art and escapism are themes that are tightly woven throughout this story until they become inseparable. At first art is the means to manipulate one's personal reality, as Joe convinces himself that he is fighting the war against the Nazis by having his hero fight them in the comics; and later this idea is carried further, so that art is not only used to manipulate reality, but to escape it utterly; and this is viewed as the ultimate goal of the artist. Another high point of the novel is its moments in which the blend of art and realism are so seamless that at first it is difficult to tell where reality ends and the art begins. These moments are consistent with the magical atmosphere that marks Kavalier and Clay's "Golden Age," as well as with the theme of art as a means of escape. The theme of art and its relationship with escapism is the one theme that threads consistently throughout the novel. Otherwise, one might say that "Kavalier and Clay," for all its strong points, is lacking in that after the tight, virtuoso beginning, the story loses focus and eventually all sense of unity. The plot becomes somewhat convoluted in the manner of John Irving, as if Chabon is throwing oddities into the mix just to keep things interesting. Hence we get Antarctica, the oddball marriage, and the threatened jump from the Empire State Building, which feel as if they are taking place in a world apart from the rich world to which we were originally introduced as readers, which was in itself so compelling. The result is that one begins to wonder where the original story went, if this is the same book, and to wish that it had ended before the pure magic of the atmosphere became replaced with coincidence and contrived circumstance. Another drawback to this book was Joe Kavalier himself, who was simply too much of a good thing, especially in contrast to Sammy Clay. Just when it seemed that there was nothing else that Joe could possibly be good at, something else came out to prove that assumption wrong. In comparison, Sammy comes across as a failure: his talent for writing is never vindicated in the way that Joe's talent for drawing is vindicated to the hilt from beginning to end; yet the original idea for the Escapist came from Sammy, so clearly he is not a wholly insignificant talent. If Joe was meant to seem perfect and Sammy a failure, then this is not a drawback but a fact; but my sense of it was that somewhere, Sammy's story simply fell by the wayside to make way for Joe's. As a reader, I found Sammy a more interesting character precisely because nothing came easily to him and because he was so conflicted in every aspect of his life. Many times I found it strange that he was so unappreciated while Joe had center stage, yet this dynamic was never commented upon in the book, as if the author didn't notice it himself. Without giving anything away, the ending was a climax of banality, and not a particularly realistic one at that. It is as if the author became tired and just wanted to get it over with--a common occurrence, but a bit hard to take after the epic scale of this novel had seemed to promise so much. While "Kavalier and Clay" is worth the read, it leaves lacunae to tease the reader, like a detailed painting that trails away into emptiness.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow...just, wow.
Review: What a fantastic book. If you're looking for one of the best recent attempts at the "Great American Novel" then look no further. Chabon has taken key events in 20th century American history and woven a touching and fascinating portrait of two American heroes who chase ruthlessly and passionately after their dreams. They write and draw comic books, and through this creative outlet, Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay fight against the evil in this world (most specifically the Nazis). Sam and Joe create "The Escapist", and through him, they filter their life experience, resulting in a Houdini-esque Superman. Their hero frees the enslaved men, women, and children of the world from the bonds of slavery, whatever form they may take, and it is the study of this notion that Chabon makes so interesting. As fictional as this tale is, it's set firmly in places and times with actual persons from the era, such as Salvador Dali, Orson Welles, Stan Lee, and so on. History doesn't just pop up from time to time to remind you of the setting, instead it is integrated into the very fabric of the book. The Empire State Building stands proud and tall as almost an additional character, and New York is given a wonderful depicition by Chabon as well. Well, I'm rambling at this point, but needless to say I loved this book. It's one of the best things I've read all year, so get it.
Rating:
Summary: Heartbreakingly good
Review: Well written, powerful and very deserving of any award it receives.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: Chabon takes great effort to develop the stories (the "amazing adventures") of Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay, two Jewish boys who turn to comic books as a means of escape... Chabon's writing style is a joy. He can draw forth the whole spectrum of human emotion with his words. The majority of the "action" takes place in the first 400 pages, which are filled with humor, romance, and hope. The last part of the book is slower, but because the reader has gotten to know the boys as they were in their idealistic stages, the sadness that accompanies their later years is just as touching. Chabon's dialogue will leave you laughing out loud at times. He pulls no punches and takes no sides: instead of making broad statements about the persection of the Jews by the Nazis, or about homosexuality, he tells it from the human perspective. I can see how some people can't get into this book. If you can't get into the characters or into the storyline, the last third of the book is going to be a drag. But if you take your time to enjoy the book, to enjoy the adventures of Joe and Sammy and appreciate the parallels between the real world and their created world, I think you will appreciate the beauty of these two guys' adventures.
Rating:
Summary: Adventure and deep thought; one of the best books I've read
Review: So far, this is my favorite book of the year. And not just because it involves the comic book industry; it's been over 15 years since I've collected comic serials, after all, and from what I've seen of them I've no desire to go back. This book stands on it's own and transcends the label of fan publication to become one of the best contemporary novels I've ever read. There's so much here that it's hard to summarize; a heartbreaking story of a young man's escape from Austria in 1937 to New York, and the frustration of his every attempt to send for the doomed family that purchased his freedom; a young boy's fascination for escapes and magic; the early years of the comic book industry and its role in American thought at the start of the Second World War. There are also nailbiting sequences of survival in Antarctica and bombs in high-rises, rococo explorations of Manhattan high-society in the 1930s, and a few nifty explanations of complex magic tricks. It covers almost 20 years in the lives of three characters, and I was welded to the page the entire time. Jon Sciesza, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, has written that many of the books students are asked to read in K-12 education these days are not appreciated by boys. In his article, he states, "I think schools and parents sometimes handicap their efforts to get boys reading by not offering boys the books that will inspire them to want to read. So many required reading lists and favored books in schools reflect women's reading tastes." I think Sciesza leans a little too hard on gender stereotypes, but if ever there was a book to combat this, a book that can be appreciated by everyone because it delivers a great yarn with beautiful prose, this is that book. An exceptional acheivement, and I recommend it unreservedly to anyone who might be reading these pages.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome change from the main-stream fiction we usually see
Review: This book is a great read with witty dialogue and beautifully developed characters---although I agree with a few of the other reviews in that the dialogue at the end of the book is not as crisp as the early chapters. The symbols are really huge and the word "subtle" has no place here, but I think that was the point----there was nothing subtle about symbols of the comic book genre either!
Rating: 
Summary: Tour de Force without a conclusion
Review: Michael Chabon is just brilliant throughout much of this book, though the pleasure is in the journey, not the conclusion. This book is vibrant, creative, detailed, a might Dickensian (in the unsuspected personal connections), and well worth a read.
Rating: 
Summary: it chased me away
Review: Men kissing and pretentious writing, contrived words and
confusion between reality and make-believe all combine to either make me look ignorant or impress all those prize judges. Or both.
Rating:
Summary: Good but Over-Rated
Review: This is one of those major event novels which the critics seemingly are forced to gush over, but which proves slightly disappointing. The bravura early chapters are certainly Pulitzer material, but the narrative loses steam and passion. Joe's wartime misadventures particularly seem forced. Chabon's big metaphors become strained. Finally, the oddball marriage and unlikely reconciliation that close the novel feel contrived. You'll learn fascinating things about the comic book business, but you won't get the masterpiece novel you've been promised.
Rating:
Summary: a different road for Chabon
Review: As always, Michael Chabon takes on another trip in his world. This time, he goes back to Europe to begin an adventure quite worthy of the classic comic books. I certainly hope this book has been optioned to the movies, since I can see in my mind's eye Joe and the Empire State Building. A sensational read, even tho it may seem slow at the beginning, it's worthy hanging on. Can't wait to see what road Chabon goes down next!
| 
