I found the book to be strange, but also strangely lyrical. The author really painted pictures with his words – and not just pictures of people or places, but pictures of feelings and emotions.
"It is a brave and stupid thing, a beautiful thing to waste one's life for love."
Well, I agree with the stupid thing. Although I enjoyed the book, I was frustrated by Max’s obsession with Alice. I’m all for falling in love, but never at the cost of WASTING one’s life. Life can be full of love without having “the love of [your] life.” Max had a best friend I don’t think he really appreciated until he was gone (of course, if I understood the book correctly, Max was the love of Howie’s life). Does this make me sound like an old-maid single person?
Max kept waiting for his circumstances (his Alice) to make him happy, which of course, never happened.
I did find myself asking why the author chose this specific time period? Was it simply to showcase San Francisco history at the time of the great earthquake? How would the book have been different if the story were set in the present day? The 1950’s?
Did anyone else cry when the bear was killed?
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2 comments:
Ha!!! Katie, loved that you thougth it was lyrical, too!!! As you know, great minds, etc. etc. heehee. Seriously, I, too, recognized Max's obsession with Alice. Unfortunately, I went through my own ridiculous/embarrassing obsessions with guys before I met Jason. ugh. I think that one of Max's downfalls was that he wouldn't allow himself to move past it...he didn't learn from the rejection or the lack of love or even his expectations of love. He never allowed himself to find someone with whom he really could be happy. Like you said, he wanted Alice to make him happy...and no one can do that for another human being. hmmmm.... I think you are very astute to recognize this, my friend. :)
And, gotta say, I didn't cry during the death of the bear, but I DID read through it very quickly because it was so disturbing. Perhaps, I think, it was supposed to be a bit of foreshadowing about Max, too. That this creature, unfortunate and caged, couldn't die with the respect and--ease (it's the wrong word, but it's the one that comes to mind). But instead, its death was slow, and done in a gruesome manner, especially when you consider the "quick" and "humane" way most of the other animals were put down. So sad.
:) Laurenda
I didn't like the bear part. I was distrurbed by the trust that the bear had in the people that so heartlessly disposed of him. The bear was never able to live the life that was intended for him, but was made to be an attraction or a pawn. I'm sure that there are many metafors to be made in relation to Max and the bear. Poor bear. Poor Max. There were many parts of Max's life (his mother had him get a job at such a young age) where he was forced to do something as opposed to choosing to do something. Hmmmm.
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