This is part of a 5-video series on 2666. • 2666 Group Read I am happy to be reading this in tandem with The Recognitions Book Club. Check them out: / therecognitionsbookclub / trbcmag / the-recognitions-book-...
While my entire copy of 2666 has sticky notes sticking out of it, and a lot of pages have underlined sentences and marked paragraphs, The Part About Archimboldi has the most. This part is insanely well put together. The section when Hans finds the crucified General Entrescu was magnificent, especially considering the strange ritualistic sex scene between Entrescu and the Baroness that he witnesses earlier in the castle. I was thinking last night about the significance of Hans being fascinated with seaweed. I think it has to do with seaweed being something that grows in the depths, connecting it to the image of The Abyss. Hans' becoming Archimboldi has its beginnings in the abyss. For me, this also connects to the old man telling Hans that Literature is like a forest and the masterpieces are the lakes. My favorite part is still The Part About Fate.
Those are excellent thoughts, Alex! I had the same reaction to the last part. Superbly crafted! And it was so much more robust than all the “preceding” (hehe) parts. The perfect capstone to this masterwork. I can’t wait to read it again.
I think Bolano was channeling The Tin Drum by Günter Grass for this part, only instead of a lilliput we have a giant :-) When I reread this book, I read this part first and then the rest, it was very interesting. One more note: all five parts form the word CAFCA (Critics, Amalfitano, Fate, Crimes, Archimboldi - it's the same in Spanish) which is pronounced the same as KAFKA. Could be a coincidence, but I like to think Bolano did it on purpose, because the novel IS very kafkaesque.
Thank you for doing all that extra reading and research! I had no idea he wrote the last part first. I’m glad you pulled out that same quote from the end. Great job! It’s been a pleasure 🤙🙏👏
Great review. Just finished the book. Interesting that you mention mirrors. I really saw Nazi Germany as being a mirror of Santa Teresa. In Santa Teresa, we have a direct account of the murders and crimes. In Nazi Germany, we all know what is going on, and yet, we hear about very little of what is going on at first. The layers are only peeled away slowly. I'm on a cell phone so I can't really elaborate. This was my second reading of 2666
You were right, part 5 left me speechless. When I was approaching the end I kept thinking "How's Bolaño gonna end all of this?" and I loved it! .Like you, I immediately wanted to go back and start reading again, this book will definitely benefit from re-readings. This was quite a ride, part 4 left me exhausted but the end made it all worth it. I see why you love big books so much. I hope to see more readings like this on your channel, reading the book with your videos awaiting me at the end of each part felt rewarding and helped me a lot. I wanted to dive into Laura Warholic after this but now I need a break from long books haha. Thanks Chris, awesome content like always :) .
Congratulations, Esteban! You made it; you survived 2666. You now begin life on the other side. :) So glad to hear the videos were beneficial--that's my goal! Take whatever break you need. Laura will be there waiting for you. I just read a new translation of Bràs Cubas and was swept away by Machado de Assis. Wonderful, wonderful book!
When I finished reading part 4, I did felt it was somewhat unfinished; there were mysteries, yes, but something else felt off. I knew beforehand that 2666 was an unfinished work, so I assumed it was my bias, but hearing that comment you mentioned, now I'm more secure in my hunch. Also, I can't believe I was trying my damn best to pronounce all the german and romanian names (not the russian ones), and I totally missed the Reiter=Writer bit. And I was looking put for them since I noticed some other names had meaning, like Oscar Fate's. Years after you made this video, with all the books we now have read, and with all the implications of Kafka and the mentions of romanian culture in part 5, I wonder if Bolaño, somehow, had read Cartarescu, or if Cartarescu has read Boñalo.
Thank you so much for this review series, it has been a great companion to reading the book. I was personally a bit unimpressed by it (given its disproportionate reputation) both on the thematic level and the prose style level, but these videos have allowed me to appreciate what there is to appreciate in 2666.
Bolaño identified himself with Arturo Belano, and it was supposed that Arturo Belano was the narrator from 2666. In some point of the book there's a crossover when someone talks about two guys from Mexico city crossing the desert (Belano and Lima searching for Cesarea Tinajero).
Top 3 best authors not talked about on youtube? Vollman? Gaddis? I would've said faulkner (a top 3 author for me) a couple months ago but the codex cantina has some incredibly meaty faulkner discussion. Anyhow, your doing good stuff - as someone who's friends don't read at all i get alot out of your videos. Thanks!
Thanks! I’m doing what I can to promote authors whose work should be read more widely: Vollmann and Gaddis (as you said); but also Theroux, Ducornet, and (soon!) McElroy. Glad you’re enjoying the videos. And for what it’s worth, I don’t have any close friends who read either (just my mom)!
Terrific video. One can never stop talking about 2666! Is it a good idea to assume that Archimboldi was a bad writer (pulp), given the mostly ridiculous titles (at least, in the original Spanish )of his novels? And as we know there isn't a sample of his writing in 2666 to judge him by. Viva Roberto!
Great review. Nothing else to add except that the circularity of the book went unnoticed in my first read, as you say it aint as explicit as finnegans wake or borges short stories, i think the fact that it is a 1000 page book adds to it jaja. Thx for the content, what beast will you read next? Or are you chillin with easier books atm
Thanks! I’ve got one big book and two short ones already in queue up here. As for my next beast-Tale of Genji and Powell’s Dance keep drawing my attention. Who knows!
This novel was a dud for me. I might have enjoyed it more if I were actively reading it in a book club like you did. If anything, this book has heartfelt ineptitude but not passionate virtuosity. Still loved tuning in to your videos!
Oh, George. My dear, dear George. I’ll need to consider our friendship more carefully. Just kidding! Fair enough, my friend. I will say that I put aside expectations of the prose style fairly early on with this one. Have you posted a review for this one somewhere (or have you already?)?
@@LeafbyLeaf I put it aside too but still found not much to tickle the pickle! I posted a reflection on Goodreads. Too general to call it a review. Apparently my opinion on it is offensive because people I haven't talked with in forever suddenly decide to come out of the...abyss, and comment with passive aggression, etc.
