Leviathan by Paul Auster

Leviathan by Paul Auster
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

For me the tale did not merit the lengthy narrative, the book within the book seemed contrived and interfered with the tension.  I felt it was too much blathering and was in need of editing.  Perhaps it's a case of not being able to latch on to either of the main male characters as sympathetic or interesting.  The female protagonists started out as more captivating particularly since I'd seen museum exhibits of Sophie Calle and immediately recognized her in Maria but they were reduced to pretty much sexual objects as the tale continued.  Is the narrator Peter Aaron the novelist Paul Auster and is it important to the story?  The book talks a great deal about identity and stories and whether Aaron's recreation of Sachs' life is true and how far does truth go when told by another in a memoir.  Did Sachs really die in Wisconsin?  Is Aaron a reliable reporter of his friend's motivations and life?  Is Auster?  Do I need to read Hobbes Leviathan to find out?  Other Auster books I liked better were Moon Palace, City of Glass.
Favorite quote:  Books are born out of ignorance and if they go on living after they are written, it's only to the degree that they cannot be understood. (Auster. Leviathan, p. 40)


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