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While still a little rough around the edges, The Pale King was a great example of DFW's ability to weave a compelling story about nothing. His balancing of dichotomies throughout this book is astonishing. Each subsection focuses on making a pair of polar opposites the same, and he does so with mastery each time. Boredom is energy, truth is false, fact is fiction, etc. It is evident that this was not a finished work. DFW's careful wordsmithing is in the works throughout this; I could have done with the terms "nihilism," "banal," "pinching my shoes," "titty-twisting," and others about 25% of the times they were used. I presume this would have been done given a life not cut short prior to the completion of the novel. It is much appreciated that this work was placed out for all to read, because even unpolished as it is, it is a fabulous work worthy of your time.
Ugh. Keep in mind that this is really nothing more than a first draft of DFW's last unfinished work, and in all likelihood is nowhere near what DFW might have considered "polished." There's not much of a plot, no central character or development, no story arc, no unifying theme . . . except boredom. Perhaps that was the point—I'm not sure—but boredom is predominant in this book. I gave it two stars instead of just one because there were, in fact, some funny and insightful sections about the human psyche, as if DFW were talking about all the things we don't really want to talk about but which linger in our subconsciousness, and we are made aware of those things when reading about what goes through the minds of IRS tax auditors. At least I got this at a free book giveaway.
The character of Shane Drinion was basically myself in a nutshell, so bravo DFW, bravo.
The chapter with the pretty girl and the dull guy made this entire book worth it.
what the fuck.
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