Reviews
Fucking killed me
A terrifying and weighty (though fairly straightforward, for Faulkner, and with a wonderful rhythm) novel about the consequences of one man's doomed but unshakeable ambition to start a dynasty in Mississippi around the time of the Civil War. At its heart Absalom, Absalom is about morality; specifically Thomas Sutpen's broken moral code and his justifications for his actions. The novel's structure mythologizes this headstrong and brutal man -- Sutpen's life is narrated by other characters in various ways, and we never hear from him directly. (Faulkner's deep narrative nesting here recalls the best of Conrad and reminds us that capital-t Truth is unattainable, and in even the best cases always mediated by language.) And allegories abound: Sutpen is a manifestation of the South at the time, with its moral code based solely on economics and not at all on basic human decency; Sutpen's son's rebellion against his father echoes the South's rebellion; Sutpen's dynasty is doomed from the start and (quite literally) goes down in flames. It's a brilliant writer who can create such a despicable, ruthless, and singular character without making him a caricature; Sutpen's compelling backstory invites our empathy, whether we like him or not. The consequences of his ambition reverberate deeply, and it's a story that will stick with you.
