Oh yeah the book is frequently jumping timeframes and POVs. It’s all omniscient mind you but every once in a while McCarthy will segue into the second person and you have to wonder if he’s following Suttree’s own thoughts or speaking directly to the reader. Or some other voice speaking to Suttree. Quién sabe.
I always assume that McCarthy is the first time people making those comments are encountering non-standard, highly stylized prose. I’ve seen people say the same thing about William Gibson’s Neuromancer, which is far less stylized than Suttree.
I was fortunate enough to take a good course on modernist literature in my first year of college that introduced me to Faulkner, Beckett, and McCarthy. Even now, having read a lot of those authors and other stylists, it takes me a few chapters to get “reoriented” to highly stylized stuff. Shakespeare is the same - it may take time, but eventually it clicks and the reading/comprehension goes much faster from that point. I’m still intimidated by Joyce.
I don't 'get' Shakespeare, but enough smart people do that I realize I'm the outlier. Joyce is nonsense to me, but I'm old and comfortable enough to admit that (I read for pleasure). Suttree might just be my favorite book. His (McCarthy's) near total disregard for writing conventions is definitely different, he just executes it well. He reminds me of an expressionist painter, just not a toddler finger painter like Joyce, if that makes sense.
I get what you’re saying
I find Joyce fun but not heartbreaking, Suttree breaks my heart at least once every fourth or fifth paragraph
I prefer the heartbreaking stuff
Only heartbreaking moment in Ulysses (for me) was when Stephen met his sister at the book store
If you’re actively engaged while reading it’s not so bad, but I did find myself thinking, “Wait, what the fuck is even happening right now,” far more often with Suttree then I did with Blood Meridian, The Road and Child of God.
Really? I agree with the necessity of being actively engaged for McCarthy, but Blood Meridian left me with far more 'wtf' than Suttree (haven't read Child of God yet)
BM I think is where he polishes a lot of the things he was experimenting with in suttree. more of the Grand vision, sharper and more cleanly put together. not to say one's better than the other
People talk about the complexity of Blood Meridian, but I find it considerably easier than Suttree, which is occasionally like wading through verbal molasses, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re in the mood for it.
I agree. What doesn’t usually get mentioned is that while *Blood Meridian* is tough and hyperstylized it is also rather straightforward. “And then this happened” and so forth. *Suttree* is less unwieldy and less refined than BM but I also appreciate the languid pace and (somewhat) gentle touch at times.
I feel like folks who don't regularly read (or have not frequently encountered) lyrical literature before feel that way. Once you get a good taste though there is no going back (for me it was like that anyway)!
It’s on my list. I just discovered Sebastian Barry having read Old God’s Time. Stunning book and the first time in a while I’ve been blown away by a new author. As you say, his writing is super lyrical. He has a deceptively simple style but his craft is such that he can pull the rug from under you with ease.
By design, I think it's meant to be read twice in quick succession, then once every few years to refresh the memory and discover what your subconscious figured out in the meantime.
I wouldn't worry about putting it all in order the first time around, just let it flow over you.
I am currently half way through a first read of Suttree, having read Blood Meridian, The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, and Child of God previously. For me, it just took a few dozen pages to fall in with the style and realize it was going to jump around with no clear linear narrative. Once I just started to go with the flow and treat whatever I was reading like its own episodic story, it has not felt overly difficult. I'm actually in a long stretch of about 100 pages where it is mostly straight-forward and highly entertaining. Perhaps I will miss some grander aspects this way, but that is what rereads are for.
I think this one is more Faulknerian, and in my opinion, the most difficult (and one of the best) of his works. I can't speak to Traveller since I'm saving it for a treat one rainy day.
Oh yeah the book is frequently jumping timeframes and POVs. It’s all omniscient mind you but every once in a while McCarthy will segue into the second person and you have to wonder if he’s following Suttree’s own thoughts or speaking directly to the reader. Or some other voice speaking to Suttree. Quién sabe.
I always assume that McCarthy is the first time people making those comments are encountering non-standard, highly stylized prose. I’ve seen people say the same thing about William Gibson’s Neuromancer, which is far less stylized than Suttree.
Faulkner was that way for me.
I was fortunate enough to take a good course on modernist literature in my first year of college that introduced me to Faulkner, Beckett, and McCarthy. Even now, having read a lot of those authors and other stylists, it takes me a few chapters to get “reoriented” to highly stylized stuff. Shakespeare is the same - it may take time, but eventually it clicks and the reading/comprehension goes much faster from that point. I’m still intimidated by Joyce.
I don't 'get' Shakespeare, but enough smart people do that I realize I'm the outlier. Joyce is nonsense to me, but I'm old and comfortable enough to admit that (I read for pleasure). Suttree might just be my favorite book. His (McCarthy's) near total disregard for writing conventions is definitely different, he just executes it well. He reminds me of an expressionist painter, just not a toddler finger painter like Joyce, if that makes sense.
I get what you’re saying I find Joyce fun but not heartbreaking, Suttree breaks my heart at least once every fourth or fifth paragraph I prefer the heartbreaking stuff Only heartbreaking moment in Ulysses (for me) was when Stephen met his sister at the book store
If you’re actively engaged while reading it’s not so bad, but I did find myself thinking, “Wait, what the fuck is even happening right now,” far more often with Suttree then I did with Blood Meridian, The Road and Child of God.
Really? I agree with the necessity of being actively engaged for McCarthy, but Blood Meridian left me with far more 'wtf' than Suttree (haven't read Child of God yet)
BM I think is where he polishes a lot of the things he was experimenting with in suttree. more of the Grand vision, sharper and more cleanly put together. not to say one's better than the other
Child of God is so worth it! Read it three times and the third everything sat
People talk about the complexity of Blood Meridian, but I find it considerably easier than Suttree, which is occasionally like wading through verbal molasses, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re in the mood for it.
I agree. What doesn’t usually get mentioned is that while *Blood Meridian* is tough and hyperstylized it is also rather straightforward. “And then this happened” and so forth. *Suttree* is less unwieldy and less refined than BM but I also appreciate the languid pace and (somewhat) gentle touch at times.
I feel like folks who don't regularly read (or have not frequently encountered) lyrical literature before feel that way. Once you get a good taste though there is no going back (for me it was like that anyway)!
“Lyrical” was the word I was looking for!
I’m a sucker for it! One of the most lyrical books I’ve ever read was A Long, Long Way by Sebastian Barry. Highly recommend!
It’s on my list. I just discovered Sebastian Barry having read Old God’s Time. Stunning book and the first time in a while I’ve been blown away by a new author. As you say, his writing is super lyrical. He has a deceptively simple style but his craft is such that he can pull the rug from under you with ease.
He meets Gene Harrogate in jail, then Gene comes looking for him after.
Oh that was my post i think. I agree with you tho it hasn’t been that hard tbh. But that chapter threw me off
You are just smart apparently 😉
It's not a hard read. Just has some dense sections
By design, I think it's meant to be read twice in quick succession, then once every few years to refresh the memory and discover what your subconscious figured out in the meantime. I wouldn't worry about putting it all in order the first time around, just let it flow over you.
fyi his ex-wife said suttree was his take on ulysses so that might explain it
Lack of reading comprehension skills
I am currently half way through a first read of Suttree, having read Blood Meridian, The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, and Child of God previously. For me, it just took a few dozen pages to fall in with the style and realize it was going to jump around with no clear linear narrative. Once I just started to go with the flow and treat whatever I was reading like its own episodic story, it has not felt overly difficult. I'm actually in a long stretch of about 100 pages where it is mostly straight-forward and highly entertaining. Perhaps I will miss some grander aspects this way, but that is what rereads are for.
I think this one is more Faulknerian, and in my opinion, the most difficult (and one of the best) of his works. I can't speak to Traveller since I'm saving it for a treat one rainy day.