I went to Barnes & Noble to pick up the second book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. I had worked my way through the first one at the behest of a friend who said I had to read them, that I would love them, and not to worry, the first one is like a long prologue, the second one is when the story really starts. So there I am, opening up the second one in the store, and I am just not really feeling it. I put it back on the shelf and wandered around until I saw this book with a really trippy cover. What is this? A Naked Singularity? I opened it up. And I was immediately sucked in by the writing. In less than a page, I was transfixed. And so I found myself sitting there on the floor of the bookstore, people stepping over me, breathlessly reading that first chapter. Now this, I thought, this is a *voice*. It is intelligent and encyclopedic, but not snobbishly so; it is cynical about its knowledge, but it still cares, it still has such forceful emotion behind it. It is not trying to impress, it is trying to be real. It walks this beautiful tightrope between being ironically jaded and honorably sincere. It somehow manages both, while really being neither. And but so I found myself, over the next two weeks, completely swept away in this roller coaster of a book, salivating at the mastery of its language, the poignancy of its perfect little moments, the finely crafted tuning of its humor, all the way through to that final, dramatic ending sentence. It is not perfect, but I loved it all the same. Definitely the best book I've read this year. Might even be one of the best books I've read, ever. Believe the hype. Don't miss this one. I devoured 800 pages of this in three days. It was like bingeing on The Wire, only better. I love huge, epic, ambitious, sprawling books like this. Books that want to do everything, say everything. Here we get digressions on boxing, the effect of media on society, the nature of evil, the Honeymooners. Deliciously enough we even get a reference to Moby Dick via an incredibly creepy character named La Ballena (the Whale). I love existential detective stories. I love the philosophical reflections on ambition, the nature of the perfect crime, the War on Drugs. The first 40-60 pages of this is brilliant, some of the most effective characterization done through dialogue that I've ever read. I think that's what I loved most about this book--the dialogue, and how there was so much that was HAPPENING. This book was damn entertaining to read! Dialogue is great, you know? So is even-filled plot. What I also loved most about this book was its anger and passion--I can't speak for Mr. De La Pava (though the fact that like his narrator, he also works as a New York public defender), but this book is FUCKING PISSED about the current racist oppressive state of society, especially in regards to the War on Drugs and jailing policies. I love that shit. Bring on the passion, bring on the pissed-offness. That's what art is for. What's even more incredible is the story behind this book: seven years to write, rejected 88 times by agents, eventually self-published and rescued from internet obscurity by crusading internet bloggers. What an inspiration. What a novel. Will definitely be on the lookout De La Pava's next works for years to come. Viva Colombia (he's Colombian!!) and viva la literatura!!!
What do You think about A Naked Singularity (2008)?
Over reaching but enjoyable. At times, nonsensical seemingly without purpose.
—Ashley
