Bluebeard (1987)

This was a very "bare bones" book - Vonnegut does not get very detailed beyond a few very important objects. It almost read like a diary. That being said, I really liked it anyway. There was a lot going on symbolically and between the lines, and I definitely got the impression of a struggling artist waffling between defeat and that last effort to absorb inspiration from any old thing.

You have to pay attention. I would consider this one of those books that you're going to get out of only what you put into it. Definitely, without a doubt, a worthwhile read. ( )

Hella preachy, but also a lot funnier than I remember Vonnegut being. ( )

The fictional autobiography of Rabo Karabekian, the son of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, one-eyed veteran of World War II, and spectacularly talented (but failed) modern artist.

As an Armenian-American, I can't be objective about this book. Vonnegut got too much of the Armenian-American experience right, so this book speaks to me in a way that non-Armenians probably wouldn't understand. Although I suspect that fans of modern art might feel the same way.

That's not to say that Vonnegut wallows in ethnicity. Not at all! But I'm sure that I got a little more out of the book than non-Armenians would.

It's a good example of Vonnegut at the height of his abilities. Written in 1988, it lacks the science-fiction aspects of some of his better-known works - and frankly, I think that's a *good* thing. Without fantastic elements, the book nonetheless manages to be wry, funny, insightful, and ultimately very touching. As with many of my favorite books, the ending never fails to leave me deeply moved. ( )

I like Vonnegut in general. He's flippant on the surface, but when you look deeper, he generally has something interesting and meaningful to say - though usually it's his life story over and over again.

This is one of his more serious ones -- there's not a joke per sentence like there is in Cat's Cradle or Slaughterhouse-Five. It's still a satire and there's still plenty of humor, but it's not as much on the surface as it is in most of his others.

As a Bluebeard retelling, it's excellent. There's no sci-fi or fantasy elements, but all the important aspects of the fairy tales are recognizable -- the relationships, the forbidden rooms and knowledge, the tragedy.

There's two Bluebeard retellings here - one of a teacher forbidding his students visit the Museum of Modern Art, and another of a painter who has something hidden in his barn. And once you find out what's hidden in the barn and the story behind it, there's a big metaphor revealed and the book becomes even better than it was. ( )

Good solid Kurt Vonnegut. Not my favourite of his, but likeable. ( )