Reviews

2666 by Roberto Bolaño

anteus7's review against another edition

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5.0

Well, it all came together in the end. Perhaps "it all came together" is too strong. It finished in a more satisfying way than I expected at the beginning of part 5.

This book has many personalities. Each part does something distinctly different from the others. It was very hard for me to see the shape of the entire thing while involved with any single part. There was a payoff at the end, though.

This is another huge, honking postmodern tome I will have to revisit if I want to be sure of my reading of it. Parts 1, 4, and 5 feel pretty distinct to me, but I am having trouble remembering the difference between parts 2 and 3.

In any case, I enjoyed reading this book--parts 1 and 5 most of all.

anthonyk's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

glock_shmee's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 stars

maggies's review against another edition

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This is too long for me to try to stick with it. I need more plot, more connection, and more payoff sooner. Not for me.

smithmick14's review against another edition

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Maybe I was precocious and out over my skis at the top of postmodern mountain but my knee-jerk reaction to 2666 was a bit of confusion over the hype. It was more readable than I expected and the prose was gorgeous but I think I was expecting more of a single plot thread than the collage that Bolaño created which threw me off a bit. I'm excited to re-read it someday soon.

theonlyjthom's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

rociovoncina's review against another edition

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4.0

Titulo: 2666
Autor: Roberto Bolaño
Motivo de lectura: Letras Macabras (Isla Macabra 2023)
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Tapa blanda, 1128 paginas, Anagrama
Puntuacion: 4.5/5

Comenzaria por decir que me parece una enorme falta de respeto lo que le hicieron a Roberto Bolaño. El señor Bolaño bajo el pensamiento de una muerte inminente dejo instruccione que esta novela fuera publicada en cinco partes (una por año), lo cual tiene un enorme sentido cuando uno termina de leer este libro completo.
Que hicieron su "amigo" Ignacio Echevarria (a quien le encargo que su deseo se cumpliera) y la editorial? cambiaron la desicion de Bolaño "por el respeto al valor literario de la obra".
Este clase de cosas no deben hacerse, si una persona que esta pronto a fallecer esta pidiendo algo (y lo que pide no es una locura, o algo imposible de cumplir), debe cumplirse el deseo de esa persona.

Se nota muchisimo que el autor realmente queria que esto fueran obras por separado, porque aunque tenemos como comun denominador una ciudad (Santa Teresa), y aunque personajes intentan conectar las historias (Morini, Pelletier, Espinoza y Norton nos introducen a Amalfitano, Amalfitano nos introduce a Oscar Fate, Oscar Fate nos introduce la parte dolorosa de Santa Teresa, y la ultima parte es sobre el escritor Benno von Archimboldi, quien es la obsesion de Morini, Pelletier, Espinoza y Norton) aun cuando estan estas conecciones, siento que en muchos tramos la trama no fluye como un todo, siempre recordamos que son historias por separado.

La prosa de Bolaño es brutal, descarnada, irreversible. el autor logra capturar lo que es la soledad, la tristeza, la locura, el crimen y su impunidad, el amor (aunque sea un encuentro, el amor esta presente), el vacio, la desidia, la indiferencia, la angustia, los sueños rotos y el conformismo.
En muchos momentos a medida que iba leyendo podia imaginar los escenarios, ya que Bolaño es detallista (pero no en un sentido que podria llegar a cansar o aburrir, todo lo contrario).

Me pregunto si Benno von Archimboldi (el personaje que es un escritor), es el reflejo del propio Bolaño, como el pintor que no puede resistirse y se pinta el mismo en su cuadro, perdido entre un grupo de personas, latente, porque eventualmente sabemos que siempre estara ahi.

Este es el primer libro que lei de Roberto Bolaño, y seguramente no deberia haber empezado con este libro, pero no me arrepiento, porque descubri a un autor con una talento desbordante, y una prosa de un nivel maravilloso. Sin lugar a dudas seguire leyendo todo lo que pueda de este autor.

oscardb's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

phenotex's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

gennysreadingroom's review against another edition

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I put this down and have lost interest. I have no urge to continue it.