A strange book with an anxiety inducing about of detail.
This book is weird. I liked it, but it was still very very strange. Now, this is a book that I had to read for one of my English literature classes, and the only thing the professor told us before hand was to give ourselves enough time to read it because while the book is short, it is very dense. And after reading and analyzing this novel, I definitely agree with him.
This book follows Oedipa Maas, who one day receives a letter informing her that her ex boyfriend has passed away and that she has been named executrix of his businesses. However, the majority of this novel follows Oedipa as she works to uncover the background behind a mysterious mail delivery service, and the symbol behind it.
Now, one of the main reasons this book is so dense is because of how much detail is in it. So much detail to the point where it is hard to tell what is actually happening. And I think ultimately that's why I gave this this book only three stars. I enjoyed reading it, I just couldn't tell what the fuck was happening half the time. What's interesting though is that in a way that confusion is purposeful. Think about it. We're following a woman who is in a state of paranoia and following around a conspiracy theory. The confusion and details given work to add to the atmosphere of not knowing what is real and what isn't. The confusion holds a purpose, but I felt like it hindered my reading experience to the point where I would only give it three stars. However, I will say that if I reread this book I would probably up giving it a higher rating (simply for having a better understanding of what is happening). If you give this book a try I truly think that you have to read through the entirety of it if you would like to have a shot at understanding what is going on. This is one of those books that begins to give clues and answers at the end, leaving the first 3/4 of the book kind of a confusing mess.
I think that it is also important to mention that his book has a huge cult following. Lots of people even have tattoos inspired by this novel. It is beloved and analyzed by a large fan base. I definitely do think that this book is a classic, and while I'm not running to the library to grab more books by Pynchon, this book has definitely altered my view of what literature is truly capable of.
This book in a gif:
About the Book: Suffused with rich satire, chaotic brilliance, verbal turbulence and wild humor, The Crying of Lot 49 opens as Oedipa Maas discovers that she has been made executrix of a former lover's estate. The performance of her duties sets her on a strange trail of detection, in which bizarre characters crowd in to help or confuse her. But gradually, death, drugs, madness, and marriage combine to leave Oedipa in isolation on the threshold of revelation, awaiting the Crying of Lot 49.
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