I Put Down Roberto Bolano’s “Savage Detectives”
I vet my books pretty carefully. I read reviews. I listen to advice from like-minded readers. I usually know a thing or two about them before I begin. I try not to recommend a book till I’m finished, because the ending can make a difference–consider Smilla’s Sense of Snow, or the books of Neal Stephenson. I only read one book at a time. So I rarely don’t finish a book. I try only to start books I’m likely to want to finish.
But a few years ago, after slogging resentfully through about two thirds of Life of Pi, one of my librarian friends, Rock Hack, told me about Nancy Pearl’s Rule of Fifty. If a book didn’t “have” me by page fifty, put it down. Life is short; books are plentiful. There is little reason to read without enjoyment.
And so it was with Bolano’s Savage Detectives, a novel about poets in 70’s era Mexico City. The main character was passive and uninteresting to me. He was surrounded by a throng of characters I could barely keep track of. I realized that reading it was work, and unrewarding. So at page 81 I put it down.
The book was on many of last year’s best-of lists. I’ve read more than one review that says it’s not only a good book, but an important one. All those could be true. What I know is that I wasn’t enjoying it, or learning from it. I put it down, and started something else. I feel much better now.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
That’s a shame about “Life of Pi”; I quite enjoyed the book (which I recognize not everyone did), but I also hold it up as the quintessential book for which the ending exceeds expectations and actually transforms the book into something more spectacular. To each her own, but I thought Pi had a kickass ending (so I’m doubly sad you didn’t get there). Interestingly, that book seems to be popping up of late, as my boyfriend just finished reading it and it was selected for my book club this month.
I tend to be pretty reluctant to put books down, as well, but I think the rule of 50 is generally a sound one (although I might extend the number of pages if the book itself is longer than say, 350 pages). Interestingly, I also feel that once I’ve invested a certain amount of time/effort/myself into a book then I feel obligated to see it to its conclusion… I guess maybe if I’ve hit the 1/3 mark?
You might be interested John Sutherland’s book “How to read a novel”. He was a high-ranking member of the Booker Prize committee, and pretty much goes through the world of publishing and books, discussing things readers should be aware of when choosing a novel, such as the cover art, the blurbs on the back, and what book awards are actually good for. He also suggests the page 60 rule: if you pick up a book and enjoy what you read on page 60, chances are you will enjoy the book. He also heavily discourages people from reading the last sentence or paragraph of a book first (something I have never done, but something an avid reader friend I have does when deciding whether to buy a book)… Anyway, I really enjoyed his book, even if I didn’t agree with everything he said (e.g., buy all of your books in hardcover if you want the ultimate reading experience), so you might too!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
My mom felt the same way about the Savage Detectives, so even though I keep reading reviews of it and about it’s importance, I haven’t picked it up. And now I’m pretty sure I won’t.
May 11th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Pi didn’t work for me because I didn’t find the narrator, a boy, had an authentic voice. It sounded like the author’s. Also, I found the religious commentary reductionist. It felt like a “hey, look, we’re all the same!” theme.
Interestingly, there were two other well-regarded books I disliked for those same reasons: inauthentic child voice and uninteresting (to me) religious themes: Father Melancholy’s Daughter and Secret Life of Bees. I could be jaded about religion, though, since I have an MA in it.
Sutherland’s book sounds very good. I like the point about putting its down and picking it up later. I could see picking up Savage Detectives again, especially if I read something that gave me insight into why it’s others find it good and important. I adamantly disagree about the hardcover, though. They’re large and unwieldy. I need a book that fits into my bag without straining my back, and one I can read wherever without straining my wrists.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I found your post as I was browsing around to see what other people may have thought about the book. I’ve had a hard time placing my own feelings about it and I’m still searching on page 369. I’m usually very particular about books and I’ve actually put away plenty without finishing. But there is something about this book that I can’t put my finger on but I also can’t take my mind away from. I think it is haunting and the characters are so real to me. Sad to hear you didn’t like it..
May 15th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Interestingly, I’m reading Pi again because it was selected for my bookclub this month. I don’t have a problem with the narrator’s voice, but I think that’s because for me, it’s a book told in retrospect. Yes it’s about a teenage boy, but it’s his story being told at least 20 years later, so for his voice to be wiser and older actually works for me. It’s why I expect different things from the narrator in Cat’s Eye (another retrospective) versus the one in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night” (where the narrator, along with being autistic, is also very young but is telling his story in the present).
I have a terrible time remembering plots of books save for a few notable exceptions, so only being 70 pages into Pi again this time, I can’t speak to the religious storyline much. I do recall, however, that for me the book was never really about religion, so in that sense, perhaps the author’s commentary on the subject was not wholly successful.
May 18th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Oh, you pesky commenters. You’re such reasonable people that I think I may need to give both Pi and Savage Detectives a second shot, though not immediately. I look forward to what Ashley thinks when she finishes SD.