As I Lay Dying

Rating:
Summary: One of the classics
Review: This is the third Faulkner book I've read and each one seems to get better and better . . . maybe it's because I'm getting more used to his style. He beautifully recreates another place and time and populates it with a cast of characters that seem sometimes way too bizarre to live but then gives you peeks inside their heads that make you realize that they aren't all that different from us. The plot, in its simplest form, is that Addie Bunden has died and her husband, Anse, made a promise to her before she died that he would bury her in her native town of Jefferson, which is some distance away. So he gathers the family up and starts the journey. Only its not that simple and at times it seems like this is the unluckiest family on the planet, disaster upon disaster just keeps dropping on them out of nowhere. It doesn't help that by and large this is a family that defines the word dysfunctional and they have some interesting ways to deal with adversity (wait until you see the solution for a broken leg!). Faulkner keeps the narrative moving by the then innovative (I guess) technique of jumping to multiple viewpoint and having different people tell the story from different perspectives, often wildly differing in their presentation and tone. The people range from deadly serious to comical and Faulkner's skill at putting complicated thoughts into often beautiful prose is readily apparent here. Just about every section has a line or two that you find yourself reading over again simply to savor how well written it is. The plot curves like a downward spiral, culminating in an ending that I certainly didn't see coming, even if it did make loads of sense. As with any Faulkner book there are probably layers and layers of allusion and symbolism that I missed completely . . . some lines are repeated too often to stand for just their literal meaning. But even just read in a straightforward fashion Faulkner's stream of consciousness techniques and his ability to use setting to its fullest extent will make this a memorable reading experience for those who want a little thinking with their reading. They don't write like this anymore.

Rating:
Summary: Difficult at first, but worth it
Review: Wow. What a book. As I Lay Dying is the story of the Bundren family, who takes their dead mother Addie (she has just died) to the place where she was born so that she may have a proper burial. The chapter title is the name of the family member narrating that chapter. It's extremely confusing to understand at first, but after a while you begin to get it. The entire story is their trip, and as you read through the chapters you get insights into each of the character's personalities, feelings and perspectives. You even get descriptions of the family from people who see them, and that gives you a more objective perspective on what's happening. Each of the chapters is written very differently, which helps give you a better sense for each of the characters. One son is very methodical and precise, and the writing reflects that. Other entries are more like streams of consciousness.

This is a tough book to understand, but it is definitely worth it. Faulkner is a brilliant writer.