I had previously read one novel from Milan Kundera, Unbearable Lightness of Being, which I couldn't do justice to. I had trouble relating to the writing and its complexity. Immortality didn't feel that way. It was a good thing to not give up on the author and pick another one of his books on impulse. My instincts didn't fail me this time.
The manner of story telling in Immortality is multi-dimensional. While the entire novel is as planned as any, the narration has been made to appear impromptu in parts. There are times when author interacts with you as an author, and picks up an inspiration while in the midst of his passionate explanations to you, and then, he moves back from you to make a story from that inspiration. In those moments the book resembles a live act of sorts. That is a different experience.
The uniqueness to story telling did come with an explanation at one point. Just about the time I was grappling to figure the flow of this book owing to its erratic narration, the author intervenes himself and expresses his belief on how a novel, the way he sees it, should be written such that it isn't possible for it to exist in any other form other that the novel itself. It should not be possible to make it into a Movie or Tele or a Play. Though, by the time I reached this point of the book, l had realized that I would need to re-read the book to completely understand the narrative and better appreciate the creative layering.
The experience of reading this book is like being made to watch a play where the author uses two different stages to narrate, connects those in principle, takes some time out to come sit next to you and discuss his intent and the dynamics of the characters...for which he uses examples from history, and uses fresh cues from the discussion back into the story. And on some occasions, also finding a logical reason to slip himself into an Act.
Some of the best stories I have read or seen have either contained grey characters or have narrations that use opposite ideologies and debate each of them convincingly. This novel too does that to a good extent.
In all, the book is a mix of story telling, historical perspectives, point of views, and detailed analysis of the most smallest of feelings and behaviours. To the extent that at some point I felt in a real life situation, one could call it over analysing. In the form of a book though, it seemed like an indulgence.
There are many reasons to read this book. but what it says through a review on its cover isn't one of them - "it will make you cleverer, maybe even a better lover. Not many novels can do that - XYZ from GQ Magazine".
My reason for anyone to read Immortality by Milan Kundera would be to experience the different ways to interpret a human condition. The rationalization of the basis of it. To experience the variety in self-reasoning, and the somewhat futility of it. It is a journey of human mind, if not of the general kinds, most certainly of the thinking ones.
The manner of story telling in Immortality is multi-dimensional. While the entire novel is as planned as any, the narration has been made to appear impromptu in parts. There are times when author interacts with you as an author, and picks up an inspiration while in the midst of his passionate explanations to you, and then, he moves back from you to make a story from that inspiration. In those moments the book resembles a live act of sorts. That is a different experience.
The uniqueness to story telling did come with an explanation at one point. Just about the time I was grappling to figure the flow of this book owing to its erratic narration, the author intervenes himself and expresses his belief on how a novel, the way he sees it, should be written such that it isn't possible for it to exist in any other form other that the novel itself. It should not be possible to make it into a Movie or Tele or a Play. Though, by the time I reached this point of the book, l had realized that I would need to re-read the book to completely understand the narrative and better appreciate the creative layering.
The experience of reading this book is like being made to watch a play where the author uses two different stages to narrate, connects those in principle, takes some time out to come sit next to you and discuss his intent and the dynamics of the characters...for which he uses examples from history, and uses fresh cues from the discussion back into the story. And on some occasions, also finding a logical reason to slip himself into an Act.
Some of the best stories I have read or seen have either contained grey characters or have narrations that use opposite ideologies and debate each of them convincingly. This novel too does that to a good extent.
In all, the book is a mix of story telling, historical perspectives, point of views, and detailed analysis of the most smallest of feelings and behaviours. To the extent that at some point I felt in a real life situation, one could call it over analysing. In the form of a book though, it seemed like an indulgence.
There are many reasons to read this book. but what it says through a review on its cover isn't one of them - "it will make you cleverer, maybe even a better lover. Not many novels can do that - XYZ from GQ Magazine".
My reason for anyone to read Immortality by Milan Kundera would be to experience the different ways to interpret a human condition. The rationalization of the basis of it. To experience the variety in self-reasoning, and the somewhat futility of it. It is a journey of human mind, if not of the general kinds, most certainly of the thinking ones.
