So over the last couple hundred pages, I’ve really changed my tune about Clay. My earlier statement about him being selfish was largely unfair in hindsight. Now that I’ve put his life into a broader context, I really feel for the guy. Between the self-consciousness he must feel over his withered legs, to the difficult process he must be going through with his own sexual self-discovery, it’s really quite amazing that he has been able to achieve so much professionally, probably due to the state of his personal life.
You get a sense about how little Clay values himself during one pointed exchange he had with Bacon, the actor playing the Escapist on the radio serial, and his mutual love interest: “It’s not comic books that you think are inferior, it’s you.” I hope he finds happiness; maybe together with Bacon out in Los Angeles. I guess we’ll see.
One thing I was a bit disappointed in was the way in which the tit-for-tat between Ebling and Kavalier has seemingly ended with Ebling’s arrest after the failed attempt on Kavalier’s life. I expected more of a running exchange between these two – a bit more of a back and forth akin to the interplay between the typical comic book hero and foil, with Kavalier always getting the best of Ebling, yet somehow the bungling Ebling escaping justice to fight another day. I must say I thought the Nazi sympathizer would remain in the story for a lot longer.
And after several months of delays, Kavalier’s brother Thomas should be arriving in New York any day…I’m looking forward to see what transpires.
Ryan
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