New Directions The Melancholy of Resistance Paperback – Big Book, 17 June 2002

THE MELANCHOLY OF RESISTANCE is a challenging book: the text is dense and the sentences long, and the story's events are depicted with immense detail and a steady realism.On a dark, snowy night a huge truck carrying a stuffed whale chugs into a provincial Hungarian town. People gather round, seemingly enchanted by the strange attraction. However, rumours quickly spread about its purpose for being there, and slowly but surely normal life spins into a night of chaos as local superstitions, paranoia, resentments and opportunism are inflamed.The story focuses on three characters: Valuska (a naive free-spirit), Mr Eszter (a reclusive professor), and Mrs Eszter (a Machiavellian figure obsessed with gaining power), and it's these three portrayals that are the book's strongest aspect.The story itself is a slow-burner: events aren't rushed or presented in an unnatural way, and a criticism might be that things are drawn out a little too much at times, especially in the middle. That said, there is no doubt that the intricacy of the telling, plus the overall dark realism, has a captivating quality and an epic feel.

This is a great novel. Mind you, it's not easy to read.The narration takes you into a surreal world, a nightmare version of a dusty town. The narration is flowing in and out of the minds of the dreamlike characters. This novel is about impending changes and the fears relating to these changes. It's especially interesting to read this now with the world in such a state of economical and social upheaval.The characters are all somewhat existing on their margins, their fears, feelings are so much like what we probably have in the bottom of our souls; it sometimes leaves me speechless.You shouldn't be looking for symbols, etc in this text, it's more complex than that, the stuffed whale, the square with the touts are all images, feelings from somewhere very primordial, you have to feel this novel.

Wonderful book. I agree with Sebald. LK way above just about everyone else

very good

Very good book. Well written.