A brief note on Roberto Bolano’s 2666.

A friend of mine asked me how I could find a book, that for a large portion consists of lengthy descriptions of gruesome crimes, attractive to read. Of course these descriptions aren’t exciting in a normal thriller kind of way but still the endless stream of horrible discoveries leaves a definite mark on the psyche of the reader. On top of this Bolano also makes some efforts to make the reading more pleasant. The first part is an amusing comment on the scene of literary critics and on the academic world. The next two parts are less amusing, more somber and the fact of the killings on young women starts seeping into the brain of the reader. When the terror really starts, around page 350, you have slowly become accustomed to the horror that is about to be unleashed. And that really is the effect of page upon page of gruesome description: absolute horror. Horror novels are really more explicit in their depictions of violence. Still I know of no horror novel that makes an impression of darkness and desolation that is so complete. The sheer volume of the killings point to world where there is no solace, not even a quantum of sense. The cold empirical style of Bolano enhances this feeling.

If there is one thing this proves, it is that the human mind can’t become insensitive to certain kinds of violence. The violence in the book seems very real, more real than some of the real violence in the world, and you can’t help but to get stung by it. It compels to keep on reading. You want to read because you are looking for an ounce of hope in the novel. It’s hard to find, but it’s there, and it’s all the more rewarding when (or ‘if’) you find it.