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Parsifal (2012)

by Jim Krusoe(Favorite Author)

3.69 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

193563934X (ISBN13: 9781935639343)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Tin House Books

review 1: This re-telling of the chaste and simple-minded Arthurian knight who found the Holy Grail is Jim Krusoe's most lackadaisical novel, following a gently sloping downward trajectory from his brilliant debut, Iceland. I liked the structure of Parsifal, especially in the way that Krusoe returned to themes and storylines, interweaving past, present, isolated ideas, and memory fragments. And some of his patented quirks are enjoyable here: Parsifal's romantic obsession with librarians, his super-casual therapist, etc. But the plot is beyond meandering, and the author's genial prose style is too often just blasé (or outright blah). And the war between the land and sky feels pointless, as do the troops of blind men circling Parsifal's house (aside from their condition's tie-in to a... more rather disappointing late-novel reveal). [By the way, my 3-star rating is rounded up from what I wish could be a 2.5]
review 2: Unlike the protagonist - Parsifal in this book, who's search for his grail leads us to this comment: "Parsifal would have settled for any personal item at all to prove that his trip had not been wasted, no matter how pathetic: it was not just Fenjewla that had been his reason for going, it could even be a button, or a bottle, a spoon - anything to prove that his past had been more than a dream. But there was nothing-no plate, no pot, no pan; the whole place had been picked absolutely bare,..." I found pleasure and satisfaction in this book. It's unusual structure and loose parallel to the Parsifal legend is interesting. I look forward to reading other Krusoe books. less

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