I was talking to a friend about comedic / farcical literature the other day, and Catch-22 by Joseph Heller came up. That made me remember - I first read this book when I was about 15 years old. Or rather I read about 80% of it, didn’t quite finish it that time. I forced myself through it because I had heard it was subversive and intelligent and challenging, and I got nothing out of it. I didn’t see the humor, I didn’t get any political commentary, it was just a series of absurd things happening to absurd characters with no rhyme or reason.
I reread that book two years ago and damn near pissed myself laughing on every other page, but then the ending rolled around and it hit so hard. That sudden switch from absurdist comedy to heavy, bleak, depressing, and then he gives you just this glimmer of hope at the end anyway. I found it absolutely brilliant, and yet I kept thinking back to how none of this connected with me when I first read it.
Do you have books like that? Books that just plain went over your head, that you didn’t have the maturity to appreciate, that were too difficult in style or subject matter, and that you’ve come to appreciate years later?
I think I was about 10-11 when my mum first read me LotR and I was obsessed. This was way before the movies, for I am old (and I kind of hate you for reminding me that the movies have already been out for 20 years). It was my first introduction to more “serious/adult” fantasy after having devoured The Chronicles of Narnia and The Neverending Story (boy, was I pissed when that book ended - I actually thought it would somehow magically continue on forever… ).
That being said, I can totally see how after watching the films, to a kid, the books would a bit of a slog. It also helps that my mum is a fantastic narrator and storyteller. I’m just now listening to LotR on audiobook and I definitely have a newfound respect for Peter Jackson and his crew for keeping the integrity of the main story intact, while having to cut out so much side plot and lore.