Going After Cacciato

Warning: This review contains mild to severe plot spoilers.

Paul Berlin is a member of the United States Army during the Vietnam War. While he is in Vietnam, a fellow member of his squad, Cacciato, goes AWOL. This is what happens after, or what could have happened, or maybe happened and maybe not. Because sometimes the hardest thing to see is the truth.

Let’s talk about internal conflict.

This book was rife with it: the conflict between freedom and obligation, between a sense of duty and a sense of self, between the glory of possibility and the harshness of reality. And that was just the beginning—by the end the book has explored so much more.

It's unfortunate that I can't say much more without getting into spoilers, however slight.

--SPOILER WARNING--

I will admit that there were hints of the exact nature of the internal conflict throughout the book. Strange people and actions, items that should have been accounted for and yet were not—all of it combined to create a hallucinogenic effect. The brief spots of confusion do resolve by the end, but the long irresolution of strange events serve to make the story much more effective.

The buildup of conflict within the book is partly due to the fact that the suspension of belief used by O’Brien is amazingly powerful. With the use of short, powerful phrases, and brief transitions from past tense to present, O’Brien creates an image of the Vietnam War that is both powerful and real. From the first sentence, he captures the reader’s attention and holds it until the end, exploring the deeper issues of war along the way: what is war? What is it to say that the war is over? And is it really over? What does it mean to go after Cacciato? Is it a dream, or is it something else?

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Notes: Going After Cacciato is Tim O’Brien’s second novel, and was originally published in 1978 by Delacorte Press. The version I read was paperback, published in 1999 by Broadway Books, a division of Random House, by arrangement with Delacorte Press. The cover art was designed by Nicola Ferguson. For more information about Tim O’Brien and his works, please visit his website.

Realistic historical fiction, 336 pages, close third person point of view (bordering on omniscient third in places)

Topics: The definitions of war and peace, reality versus possibility, freedom and happiness versus duty and obligation, fear

Warnings: Profanity scattered throughout. Violence and death, though it is stated as a fact, and is not explicitly condoned (please note that this is a novel about the Vietnam War, and that violence and death are inherently a part of that). Some non-detailed references to sexual acts and fantasies, and a few non-detailed references to kissing.

Five out of Five.

Life, the Universe, and Everything

Arthur Dent is stuck in the past. Literally--he’s been marooned on a prehistoric Earth that isn’t due to be destroyed for another two million years. Then Ford Prefect shows up, and naturally, all hope of normalcy disappears. A floating sofa is explained by eddies in the space-time continuum (whoever he is), and in no time Arthur and Ford are two million years in the future, on the day a cricket game is interrupted by white robots from the planet Krikkit. These robots, it turns out, are out to destroy the world, and it is up to Arthur, Ford, and Slartibartfast to stop them.

This was by far my favorite of Adams’ Hitchhiker’s books. I’ve cited his brand of humor far too many times, so I suppose I’ll begin with what made this book so much different from the others.

No detail is wasted. While attention is brought to random details in other books for no other reason than to highlight the absurdity of the situation, the seemingly random details in Life, the Universe, and Everything are, well, not so random. Or rather, they are just as random—if more so—but they are also central to the plot. This in turn leads to some inadvertent foreshadowing to the end of the series.

I also noticed that by the beginning of this book, Arthur seems to have accepted the fact that nothing is ever going to be normal again. He seems to take everything in stride; this is helpful in reinforcing the absurdist nature of the piece. The matter-of-fact nature with which he takes everything that happens to him is certainly refreshing after his unending confusion in the first two books. The result is an increased sense of hilarity when he does become bewildered by little details. In a way, I guess it’s this trait that pulls the rest of the story out of proportion: Arthur’s struggle to find normalcy in the details seems absolutely ridiculous in the face of such huge issues as the impending end of the universe.

That’s pretty much it. It was sufficiently absurd to keep me turning pages. I’d recommend it to those who liked the first two books.

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Notes: Life, the Universe, and Everything was Douglas Adams’ third novel, and is part three of the Hitchhiker’s Trilogy. It was first published in 1982 by Harmony Books, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House. The version I read was softcover, published in 1995 by Del Ray Books.

Adult comedial science fiction, 240 pages, omniscient third person point of view

Topics: The meaning of life, reality (numerous parallels), absurdism, fate

Publisher’s age recommendation: N/A

Warnings: Brief innuendo. Some violence. Talk of alcohol and brief insinuation of alcohol abuse. Indirect descriptions of depression.

Five out of five.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Arthur Dent is in a pickle. His house is being knocked down to make way for a bypass. In fact, his entire planet is being destroyed to make way for a bypass. And unlike the Earth’s construction workers, the Vogons, who have been charged with the annihilation of Earth, don’t care if you lie in front of their destruction vehicles. Fortunately, Arthur has made a friend of Ford Prefect, a man who, unbeknownst to him, is not human, but a hitchhiker from another planet. And fortunately for the both of them, the Vogons have employed on their ships creatures that are not especially fond of them. All too soon, Arthur and Ford find themselves on the Heart of Gold with the ex-president of the galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox and Earthling Trillian in what may be the strangest adventure of their lives.

It was upon reading this book for the nth time that I realized that I love British humor, especially when it comes to the absurd. I could say that the sheer complexities of what seems to be simple hilarity are the aspects which primarily draw me in and proceed to keep me reading.

Or I could say that I was laughing too much to care.

Both, in a way, are true. Adams’ brand of humor, while absurd, appears simple. His ability to suspend belief is great; more often than not, I missed the punchline in his logical narrative, only to get it much later. I’ve had people tell me that affecting such British humor is easy, simple even. I don’t see how; every joke, every parallel that Adams sets up is so absurdly logical it has to be purposeful. His humor is filled with nuances of every kind, ranging from the serious to the ridiculous.

The result is a novel that is very difficult to generalize upon. What are its themes? Life? The universe? Everything? What are its important concepts or motifs? The significance of the number forty-two? Certainly the parallels with reality are something to think about, but even those are far too numerous to choose one.

So instead of focusing on the usual, let us lend our minds to the logical processes of the first book in the Hitchhiker’s Trilogy. Because that’s exactly what it is: logical.

When reading The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, everything makes sense. It makes so much sense, in fact, that one is liable to miss the jokes that are right in front of them. That in itself is the genius of Douglas Adams’ work; everything is so perfectly logical and straightforward that the jokes are made so complex by their complete absurdity. This might be the one time when the “why” is put in the back of the mind; who cares about that when the “what” appears to justify itself?

I could go on, but to avoid spoilers and save everyone a few hours, I will simply say this: while I enjoyed this book, not everyone would. The complexities behind the humor may be a bit much for some people, and those who aren’t willing to just accept the bizarreness might find this book very strange, but utterly un-enjoyable because of it. That doesn’t mean I don’t recommend it. It just means that not all books are for everyone, and the dryness of British humor, especially in this case, can be disliked because of the never-ending feeling that someone is just pulling your leg.

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Notes: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was Douglas Adams’ debut novel, and is the first book in the Hitchhiker's Trilogy. It was first published in 1979 by Serious Productions. The version I read was paperback, published in 2005 by Del Ray Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House.

Adult comedial science fiction, 216 pages (309 pages including Afterword and Appendices), omniscient third person point of view

Topics: The meaning of life, reality (numerous parallels), absurdism

Publisher’s age recommendation: N/A

Warnings: Brief but strong innuendo. Some non-involved violence. Indirect descriptions of depression. Talk of alcohol and brief insinuation of alcohol abuse. Minor swearing.

Ethan Frome

Ethan Frome lives on a failing farm in Starkfield, Massachusetts. Having once escaped the dreariness of small-town life, he has been pulled back to Starkfield on account of his mother’s illness and subsequent death. Now married to his mother’s nurse and cousin, Ethan Frome is trapped in a cold and dreary New England world. He doesn’t even have control over his house--the hypochondriac Zeena sees to that. When Zeena decides to hire a maid, Ethan balks at the money that will cost them; how are they supposed to afford the extra living expenses, let alone the girl’s pay? But instead of a hired girl, Zeena finds Mattie, her sickly, orphaned cousin, left without money by her late father. Ethan likes Mattie, and Mattie likes Ethan. There might be no problem with this, except for the fact that Ethan is already married, and divorce isn’t looked upon highly by his fellow peers. With a wife like Zeena and a love like Mattie, what’s a man to do?

I probably would not have read this book if I hadn’t been reading it for a class. The narrative was long and the pacing was slow, but that wasn’t what really drove me away. The plot just didn’t catch my attention. I had to force myself to finish.

Conceptually, however, the novel is very powerful. It’s a perfect example of the themes of power and control. All Ethan wants is to be able to live by his own rules, and every thought that goes through his head, every action he takes, revolves, however indirectly, around gaining his own freedom. I was especially taken by the irony of the book’s ending and this theme; while it could have been anticipated, the ending really grounds out the reality of Ethan’s situation.

Also apparent throughout this novel was the theme of societal values. Taking into account the setting of the story, certain items, such as Zeena’s pickle dish, make these values easy to see and understand. Marriage is important; divorce is not to be considered. The differences between what Ethan wants and what he gets are so great that even nature appears to work against him in some instances. In essence, the entire novel is thematic, centering on Ethan’s potential situation and the harshness of the reality with which he is faced.

Special attention, I think, was also given to the color red; Mattie is associated with the color in every single appearance. Coincidence? I think not.

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Notes: Ethan Frome was Edith Wahrton’s seventh novel. It was first published in 1911 by Charles Scribner’s Sons. The version I read was hardcover, published in 2003 by Marco Book Company.

Adult tragic romantic fiction, 132 pages,, third person point of view

Topics: Freedom, power, control, potential versus reality, societal values

Publisher’s age recommendation: N/A

Warnings: A single instance of suicidal thoughts and actions, though these are not successful; implied incest.

I Am the Messenger

Ed Kennedy is the epitome of mediocrity. His younger brother has gone off to university; he stays home and becomes a taxi driver. His sisters are both married and have kids; he is single and lives with his dog, the Doorman. He lives his monotonous life, never reaching for anything, always finding excuses, ways to deal with his hopelessness, especially when it comes to his love for his friend, Audrey. Then Ed receives the first ace. Three addresses, three people. It appears that he has been chosen to care for the people on the cards, even if in the process he hurts them. As he works his way through each ace, the deliberateness of these addresses makes its way into his mind. Who is sending him these cards? And why did they choose him?

I liked Zusak’s fourth novel mostly for the messages it carries more than any other aspect. With each person or family Ed helps, it seems that he gains more life, more character, though the conflict isn’t always clear and the characters don’t seem all that strong. And each message is like its own story, as a single person finds himself caring for another person’s story rather than his own. A theme like that is worth remembering, and I believe that it was carried off extremely well, and more than a little lyrically.

There were a few things that bothered me about the book, though. The ending, first of all, seemed a little too deliberate. No, there will be no spoilers--but the number of deus ex machina used within this book is enormous, and this might have subtracted slightly from my opinion, though the deliberateness of the use of this element did make the book easy to follow. This, combined with a few cheesy statements, served to make the book, at least for me, a bit of a dragged-on narration. On top of that, I felt that Ed and his friends weren’t really well-characterized, except near the end. Everything appeared to be superficial when it concerned them.

However, that lack of characterization fits perfectly into the the theme of potential versus expectation, and so turns out to be a good thing. Ed’s friends--and Ed, for that matter--learn that they can reach for something more, if they try. That discovery causes them to think more of themselves, and therefore they become stronger characters. Following that line of thought, it could be argued that they were never really flat to begin with, as their own secrets and stories were present before they were revealed.

Another thing I really liked--and I’ve noticed this in all of Zusak’s works I’ve read so far--is that no detail can be deemed unnecessary. Every scene contributes itself to the story and relevant themes in a clearly defined manner, and every detail about a person is relevant to their character. Every dialogue serves to say something about a person, whether it’s a sarcastic attitude or a lighthearted facade. However, I think this may also lead to some of the more awkward statements, though there is something to be said for the use of the deus ex machina within the plot, which contributed greatly to the storyline itself.

This isn’t so much a coming-of-age novel, but rather a coming-into-oneself story. The self-discovery evident throughout this book is solid. Despite my own lack of interest, I would still say that it’s a good read with an overall positive message.

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Notes: I Am the Messenger was Markus Zusak's fourth novel. It was first published in 2002 by Pan Macmillan Australia under the title The Messenger. The version I read was paperback, published in 2006 by Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House.

Young adult fiction (though some places have it marked as Children’s fiction), 357 pages, first person point of view

Topics: Identity, kindness, friendship, respect, potential versus expectations, family

Publisher’s age recommendation: Unavailable (though I’ve seen it placed anywhere between 12+ and 12-17)

Warnings: Prevalent, blatant sexual references, and some brief talk of semi-graphic fantasies. Some violence (beatings), though it is not condoned. Strong implications of rape. Liberal use of drugs (smoking) and alcohol, and implication of substance abuse. Thievery, though this is not condoned. Liberal swearing and minor death threats aided by guns.

Getting the Girl

Cameron Wolfe has finally found the girl for him. Her name is Octavia Ash, and she’s a harmonica player from across town. But of course, there’s a problem: She’s his brother’s girlfriend, at least for now. Rube’s become a player, and it lately seems like everything he does serves to pull their old friendship apart and accentuate the differences between them. So when Octavia dumps Rube for Cam, the two brothers come together in a fight that will result in the changing of both brother’s perspectives--of themselves, and of each other.

The thing that struck me the most about Zusak’s third book was how Cameron has evolved--as a narrator and as a person. His sincerity and raw determination make him a stronger character than he was in the first two books. Every one of his actions towards Octavia is made with good intention, and he is always very honest about his feelings. I noticed this in the other books too, but it always seemed as if this sincerity was put on the back-burner as Cam went about his way. Now, he seems much softer than before, to the point where he almost appears helpless. This makes him awkward at times, and slightly cheesy in his actions, but it also makes him a very real and sympathetic character.

Rube, on the other hand, seemed a bit two-dimensional, at least until Octavia leaves. Then his actions are blunt and insincere. In a way, he was the really deep character, with thoughts and feelings that were never shared, but implied. While Cam is focused inward, Rube is focused outward; he knows what he is, and is happy to be just that: he holds on to that fact throughout the book, regardless of what he has to do. After all, Rube is still facing his own struggles from Fighting Ruben Wolfe. The fact that Rube’s motivation is never revealed, but is a strong motivating factor in the conflict between the two brothers takes his character to deeper level than in the other two books.

The one thing I really didn’t like about this book was Cam’s actions toward his brother. His fighting I could see, but I got the feeling that Rube was the really deep character there, not Cam. Sure, Cam has his moments, but the best moments come from Rube, whenever he reveals just a little bit more of his own character. Cam’s actions seem more bent on discovery, on finding himself--again, making him sympathetic--but it didn’t do much for my interest. Cam’s actions towards Octavia were very much along these lines, and that, I think, is what made them cheesy. He was too focused on discovering who he was and what he wanted to see what was really in front of him.

I liked this book; Cam’s ability to appeal to reality, and Rube’s blunt harshness, put together a scenario that was very real. The storyline may have been a little difficult to get into, but things pick up with Rube very quickly, and the driving conflict is put into play almost right away. In all, a good conclusion to the Wolfe trilogy.

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Getting the Girl was Markus Zusak's third novel, and the third and final book in the Wolfe trilogy. It was first published in 2001 by Pan Macmillan Australia under the title When Dogs Cry. The version I read was hardcover, published in 2003 by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic.

Young adult fiction (though some places have it marked as Children’s fiction), 261 pages, first person point of view.

Topics: Identity, family

Publisher’s age recommendation: Unavailable (though the reviews I’ve seen have placed it anywhere between 12+ and 14+)

Warnings: Mild innuendo and non-detailed kissing, most of which consists of non-involved descriptions. Some brief violence (a fistfight), and implied violence with a described graphic result (the condition of a person after taking a beating), although it is not condoned. Possible implication of stalking and unhealthy obsession. Legal minors drinking alcohol, though it is implied that this is legal according to the setting of the book. Mild swearing.

My opinion: = I liked it quite a bit, but things were really winding down with the series, and certain elements seemed lacking.

Fighting Ruben Wolfe

The Wolfe family has fallen on hard times. Cameron’s father is recovering from injuries received from a burst pipe, and meanwhile, is unemployed. His mother works full time to help make up for the loss. His sister Sarah is working overtime, and his brother Steve has postponed moving out so the family can get his rent. For Cam and Rube, the situation seems hopeless. The brothers spend their time at the greyhound track, misplacing bets and losing money. At school, they are taunted; it is there that Rube snaps. When the two are contacted by an underground boxing manager, they see it as an opportunity to pocket some money. And so Rube becomes the unbeatable Fighting Ruben Wolfe; Cameron becomes The Underdog. But although they began fighting for the money, it seems that the reason they continue is entirely different. The question is, what are they fighting for?

The sequel of The Underdog and Markus Zusak’s second novel, this book grounds out the reality of the situation tremendously well. The passionate motivations of both Rube and Cam make them very real and identifiable, and their conflict as Cam observes Rube’s reactions to his success drives the impact of the story home. On top of this, the constant implied conflict between the brothers as they continue to separate from their mirror image causes each character to maintain a certain depth that didn’t exist in The Underdog. Now the differences are even more apparent: Rube is the winner; Cam is the loser. They don’t follow each other around anymore, even though they try. This is what makes the main action of the story appear to be very real: the parallels and blatant contrasts between the two scenarios.

Like The Underdog, each action the characters take has a meaning that relates in some way to the overarching theme. However, instead of painting the reality on, this tendency serves to heighten it, making the novel that much more believable. On top of this, Cam no longer keeps track of his dreams, rather choosing to make more of a note his nightly conversations with his brother Rube. These dialogues don’t hold the cheesiness that the dreams did, and each one serves to ground out each brother’s sense of self.

However, if there was one thing I didn’t like, it was the cheesiness of some of Rube’s dialogue. I got the feeling that while his character was strong, he was still a bit awkward, despite the fact that he appeared to be absolute. Some of the same occurs in his actions, and I think this might be aided by the broken narrative style, which is a little more noticeable than in the previous book. In certain parts, it even seemed as if the chapter or scene had ended, when in fact it had not.

I think that the impact of this book is what makes it worth reading. The conflict between Cam and Rube appears very real as each one appears to separate from his mirror image. The story was easy to get into and had enough action to keep me reading until the end. On top of that, the overall narrative style is comfortable and easily read, and the characters deep and identifiable.

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Fighting Ruben Wolfe was Markus Zusak's second novel, and the second book in the Wolfe trilogy. It was first published in 2000 by Omnibus Books, an imprint of Scholastic Australia. The version I read was hardcover, published in 2001 by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic. Note: In the United States, Fighting Ruben Wolfe is considered to be Markus Zusak's debut novel, instead of The Underdog, which never sold in the United States.

Young adult fiction (though some places have it marked as Children’s fiction), 219 pages, first person point of view

Topics: Family, identity

Publisher’s age recommendation: Unavailable (though the reviews I’ve seen have placed it anywhere between 9-13)

Warnings: Some brief innuendo, and a non-detailed, non-involved kiss. Prevalent violence (boxing). Descriptions of depression. Talk of immoral acts, and possible innuendo that they are taking place, though this is denied. Talk of drugs and alcohol and description of substance abuse. Talk of thievery, which is carried out, though it is not condoned and the stolen object is replaced. Minor swearing and prevalent coarse language.

My opinion: = I loved the impact of it.

The Underdog

Cameron Wolfe knows what he is. He is a boy, young and dirty, and happy to just accept his place in life. He and his brother Ruben make trouble, planning crimes they never commit and playing one-handed boxing games in their backyard. When Cam begins to work for his father, he meets Rebecca Conlon. He would do anything for her; she doesn’t care for him. He realizes then that he doesn’t want to accept his life for what is it. And it’s then that he vows that if he ever got a girl, he would treat her right. He wants to change--but how?

The first thing I noticed about The Underdog by Markus Zusak was how difficult it is to find. It wasn’t even mentioned when I tried to look for book reviews, and nothing about the sequel says anything about a previous book. To people in the United States, it appears that this book does not exist. The only place, it seems, to find copies is in Germany and Australia--even then it’s still difficult to find.

Granted, I did have trouble getting into it. The books starts off humorously enough, but I didn’t feel that it was carried well by the characters. I got the feeling that everything was two-dimensional and flat, even Cam’s feelings for Rebecca. It almost seemed as if the eldest brother and sister, Steve and Sarah, were characterized the most. Cam isn’t too strong a narrator, and all he does is follow Rube around, at least until near the end, when he learns to think for himself.

And that, I think, is the novel’s greatest strength. Cameron Wolfe learns to think for himself, and in doing so he becomes a stronger narrator. There exists conflict in his actions and thoughts; he wants to change. Maybe the book seems a bit dull at first because he doesn’t know how to really think for himself, the way Steve does, and the way Sarah later learns. That fits itself very nicely into the theme of identity, as the self-discovery Cam puts himself through is mirrored by his brother Rube. Blemishes appear in their identical images, and while they are still friends, they are actually different people, with different feelings and noticeably different styles.

Another thing that struck me was the fact that no scene contributes nothing to the story. Every dream, every action, holds some sort of symbolism relating to the overarching theme. Everything he does relates in some way to his search for what he really is. In some places, this fact leaves a very strong sense of identity behind. In others, it leads to the sense of disillusionment. Much of the book consists of the latter tendency, though that is changed as Cam learns more about himself.

I would say that this book is worth the read just for the message it sends. The Underdog sets up Cam and Rube’s sense of self for the rest of the next book, and provides the back story for the rest of the series. Granted, the broken-narrative style taken in certain scenes can be difficult to get used to, but it doesn’t overpower the rest of the book.

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The Underdog was Markus Zusak's first book, and the first in the Wolfe trilogy. It was first published in 1999 by Omnibus Books, an imprint of Scholastic Australia. I found it here. The version I read was paperback, published in 2007 by Omnibus Books.

Young adult fiction (though some places have it marked as Children’s fiction), 140 pages, first person point of view

Topics: Identity, coming of age

Publisher’s age recommendation: Unavailable (though some reviews I’ve seen have placed it anywhere between 12+ and 14+)

Warnings: Some brief innuendo, and a non-detailed, non-involved description of kissing. Some violence (boxing), though it is not condoned. Possible descriptions of depression. Talk of drugs and possible innuendo of substance abuse. Talk of thievery and similar illegal acts, though these are never carried out. Minor swearing and prevalent coarse language.

My opinion: = I liked it, but there were certain elements that seemed lacking.