I've read Michael Chabon's work before in various short essay pieces in magazines and periodicals and, although they've been recommended to me before, I've never read one of his novels. I always found is expository writing witty and entertaining so I figured when a friend basically shoved one of his books in my face, I would like it.
If you read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, do it for no other reason than to see how a simple conversation between two characters can become a work of art. Chabon (pronounced "shay - bon") has the uncanny ability to capture tiny nuances and motivating details in a character's actions, looks, and past, and infuse them into the text during a dialog, with interrupting the flow.
The story centers around two cousins, Sammy and Joe, who join forces and talents - Sammy's in creating stories, Joe's with illustrating - to produce one of the 1940's greatest comic books. The Escapist, their bread-and-butter character is just the beginning. Before long the young men have a multitude of characters and titles at their disposal, not to mention a growing bank account.
Based in historical and chronological fact, this Pulitzer Prize-winning work of fiction is enjoyable for anyone who had a superhero fetish as a kid - Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, it doesn't matter! The history is interesting, the writing dynamic, and the plot changes are unpredictable. Much like I imagine the real Escapist's adventures would have been!
Sergio del Limonar
