A review by gobblebook
Quichotte, by Salman Rushdie
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read this during a pretty tumultuous time in my life, so I don't really have the mental space to write a review that does it justice. There's a lot going on in this book - it's a book within a book within a book, with a lot of interplay between all of those nested layers. The deepest layer is about a traveling salesman of questionable sanity who dubs himself Quichotte, who has decided to go on a quest to woo a movie star. That part of the book mimics Don Quixote. There is also a story about the man who is writing Quichotte's story, and he writes a lot of his own life into his book.
Along the way, the nested books address issues of immigration, racism, opioid addiction, the nature of family, and the importance of forgiveness. It is in some ways about a very specific time in history - it's satire about Trump's fascism - but it also has timeless themes of love and forgiveness.
As always, reading Rushdie is challenging and rewarding. His writing is brilliant and he can manage to make you laugh and cry at the same time.
Along the way, the nested books address issues of immigration, racism, opioid addiction, the nature of family, and the importance of forgiveness. It is in some ways about a very specific time in history - it's satire about Trump's fascism - but it also has timeless themes of love and forgiveness.
As always, reading Rushdie is challenging and rewarding. His writing is brilliant and he can manage to make you laugh and cry at the same time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction