959. The Book of Illusions

The Book of Illusions
Paul Auster
2002
Around 230 pages

How does Paul Auster come up with such strange concepts? That man continues to delight and amaze me. But all good things must end, and this is unfortunately our last Auster novel on the List. 

Damn, this was tough:

1. The Music of Chance

2. The Book of Illusions

3. Mr. Vertigo

4. Moon Palace

5. The New York Trilogy

6. Timbuktu

This one is only edged out of first place because The Music of Chance was such a masterpiece. And Timbuktu ends up in dead last strictly because I am a cat person. But honestly, I've been enamored with everything this guy has produced. 

David Zimmer is a professor who lost his wife and children in a plane crash. Naturally, he falls into a depression and the one thing that gives him any semblance of joy is watching the silent comedies of Hector Mann, an actor who has been missing since the 1920s. He decides to write a book on Mann.

I feel like the growth that Auster's characters go through from the beginning of the novel to the end is really unmatched. This also appealed to me as a lover of old cinema and good old fashioned mystery stories. I also love it when the main character is also a writer, so this just had all the ingredients I need for an entertaining novel.

Brilliant ending as well. See, that's how you do an ending, Kureishi.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

David Zimmer previously appeared in Auster's novel Moon Palace.

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