369 pages
English language
Published Oct. 29, 2009 by Penguin Press.
Inherent Vice is a novel by American author Thomas Pynchon, originally published in August 2009. A darkly comic detective novel set in 1970s California, the plot follows sleuth Larry "Doc" Sportello whose ex-girlfriend asks him to investigate a scheme involving a prominent land developer. Themes of drug culture and counterculture are prominently featured. Critical reception was largely positive, with reviewers describing Inherent Vice as one of Pynchon's more accessible works. The novel was adapted into a 2014 film of the same name.
Reading this immediately after watching Once Upon a Time in Hollywood left my mind in summer of '69 and its cultural effect on the years following for a few weeks. Both Doc & Bigfoot are perfect characterizations of both sides of the Hippy/Square continuum.
Following the plot can be a little hazy at times but I found it thoroughly enjoyable.
I have never read anything else Pynchon has written, and I have not seen the movie based on this book. Yet.
I found this to be a difficult book, but I am certain that the fault is with me and not the book itself. There are lots of people that come and go in this book, and I have a terrible memory for names. Which one was Bambi again? And Jade? And Petunia? Often I found myself just reading on, hoping that I would remember eventually. But I'm sure if I had made more of an effort then this would not have been a problem.
At times I got confused as to where the story was going, and after finishing the book I was sure I had missed some parts of the plots. But after checking online, it appears I did not. Some parts are just, well, more confusing than …
I have never read anything else Pynchon has written, and I have not seen the movie based on this book. Yet.
I found this to be a difficult book, but I am certain that the fault is with me and not the book itself. There are lots of people that come and go in this book, and I have a terrible memory for names. Which one was Bambi again? And Jade? And Petunia? Often I found myself just reading on, hoping that I would remember eventually. But I'm sure if I had made more of an effort then this would not have been a problem.
At times I got confused as to where the story was going, and after finishing the book I was sure I had missed some parts of the plots. But after checking online, it appears I did not. Some parts are just, well, more confusing than others. I still very much have a sense that much of this book went way over my head. (This might also be a good time to point out that English is my second language)
I did enjoy the book, though! It was not just difficult. Doc is a great character, and the interactions between him and the other characters is a joy throughout the book. The "mystery"-part of it seems like a (good) excuse to challenge and explore the characters. But even though I never really care much about who-dun-it, it's a joy following Doc stumbling on clues and pieces of information.
I read this now, because I wanted to have read the book before I saw the movie. I think that was a wise choice - but I very much look forward to seeing how PTA has translated it to the screen.
For some reason, I expect Thomas Pynchon to be so serious--but again, he made me laugh, several times. This novel is much more accessible than The Crying of Lot 49 (though even that contained a hilarious scene), and the main character, Doc, is very likeable, as are some of his pals. And the ending is happy for his friends, and optimistic about the future, too. I enjoyed the symbolism in that last scene.
