Ring Roads

If one of the more annoying subgenres of LitFic is “Middle-aged introvert contemplates adultery”, then this book can be described as “Middle-aged introvert contemplates their daddy issues” -- another subgenre I have very little patience with.

That is the reason that this relatively short novel just didn't work for me. Other aspects of the book are decent to good -- the writing, the structure, the atmosphere, the gradual build-up to a reveal that makes you re-evaluate the entire story. All of that works: the portions of the book that deal with world-building and setting are excellent. I just don’t think it gelled well with the the main story, which, indeed, deals with a thirty-ish male introvert whining about their daddy show more issues: the bloated self-importance of those parts enervated me instead of engaging my interest.

So the main character grew up without his daddy, briefly ran a semi-successful antiques con together after high school, and then he just up and left his daddy. At the time of the main events, that was ten years ago, and now he’s tracked daddy down again, only for some unexplained reason daddy doesn't recognize him. And so we get to watch as the main character strikes up an awkward, spiteful acquaintance with his estranged father and his circle of unpleasant friends.

This one was not for me. Too much self-pity, too much whining, too much artificial mysteries generated by withholding information -- I just couldn't care. Modiano is good at invoking atmosphere, and there’s a late-ish reveal about the background that kinda sorta explains some of the mysteries, but, in my opinion, that was not enough to offset my annoyance. Better luck next time. show less

Pochi metri piu' in la', di nuovo la penombra. Le case che distinguevo mi sembravano abbandonate. Il fruscio del vento tra le foglie. Forse aveva addirittura dimenticato, in quei dieci anni, la mia esistenza. Quante preoccupazioni e quanti sotterfugi per camminare accanto a quell'uomo... (51)

E ora che siamo seduti uno di fronte all'altro come due cani di terracotta e che posso a mio agio osservare la tua grossa testa levantina HO PAURA. (93)

... i figli uccidevano i padri per dimostrare a se stessi di possedere dei muscoli. Ma, al giorno d'oggi, contro chi rivolgere i nostri colpi? Eccoci condannati, da orfani quali siamo, a inseguire un fantasma alla ricerca di una paternita'. Impossibile raggiungerlo. Se la squaglia sempre. show more

Probabilmente i libri successivi sono migliori... show less

These Modiano books are highly weird. The premises, the situations, the people, the interactions. Can't wait for the next one!

Discard by the Library Board of Western Australia. Why? This is an excellent book and hard to find in English. I found this copy on a Friday night in Freo. Made my day and the following day when I read it.

Patrick lyckas verkligen måla upp stämningarna i berättelsens olika scener. Tyvärr tycker jag den är lite för "hoppig" och lite för kort för att man ska hinna få någon relation till karaktärerna.

Sujuvaa kerrontaa, mukava lukea. Jotenkin en innostunut, nuorempana ehkä olisin enemmänkin voinut tykätä. Ei mitään elämää suurempaa mutta ihan ok "välipala". Tämän perusteella en aio lukea enempää Modianoa.