Dan Beachy-Quick

I had a lot of thoughts about this one. I found the unusual writing/narrative style pretty self-conscious and unwieldy, yet there were many aspects of the story that drew me in and kept me reading. It reminded me of early Terry Gilliam films in its fantastical, mythical elements, and I really enjoyed that. Mostly though I was frustrated and bored with the main character's exploration of self, fatherhood/family, agency, and reality. I think it celebrates Daniel for abandoning his responsibilities (to Lydia, to his students) because he can't escape "inevitably" following in his father's footsteps. I hate the trope (both in real life and in literature) that one's fate or narrative is inescapable--it is boring and lazy.… (meer)