Mark Danielewski, author of cult classic 'House of Leaves', returns with a behemoth of a book: 'Tom's Crossing', a 1,200-page western epic. This gargantuan novel defies the notion that readers are disappearing with the decline of physical reading due to its unwavering confidence in its content. The sheer size of the tome – roughly twice as long as Danielewski's previous magnum opus 'House of Leaves' – is matched only by the complexity and intricacy of its narrative.
Set against a backdrop of 1980s Utah, 'Tom's Crossing' revolves around Kalin March, a precocious teenage outsider, who forms an unlikely bond with popular Tom Gatestone over their shared passion for horses. When Tom succumbs to cancer, Kalin takes on the daunting task of saving the two horses they adore from certain doom at the local knacker's yard. Joined by Tom's eccentric little sister Landry and even his ghost, Kalin embarks on a perilous journey across the unforgiving Isatch mountain range.
The narrative masterfully blends elements of a classic western with cinematic flair, as Kalin navigates treacherous landscapes, confronts violent adversaries, and faces off against family rivalries in a heart-pumping climax. Beneath its deceptively dense surface, 'Tom's Crossing' presents an irresistible tale of survival, loyalty, and the primal struggle for existence.
However, it is precisely this unyielding confidence that makes 'Tom's Crossing' both alluring and infuriating to read. Danielewski exercises his immense creative control with a zeal that borders on obstinacy, embracing an idiosyncratic narrative voice that veers wildly between Homeric epic grandeur and rustic hayseed colloquialism. The result is a writing experience that oscillates between the sublime and the confounding.
Throughout the novel, Danielewski wields his vast knowledge of disparate subjects with dizzying speed, conjuring elaborate digressions on topics ranging from horse riding to modern art. While some moments of this hyperomniscience are truly exhilarating, others leave the reader bewildered and struggling to grasp the relevance to the main plot.
Ultimately, 'Tom's Crossing' appears to be an exercise in literary immortality, written with one eye firmly fixed on the academic seminar room rather than the casual reader. The novel's labyrinthine structure seems designed to confound rather than engage, even as its core narrative beats like a wild western heart, pulsating with life and primal energy.
While 'Tom's Crossing' is undeniably an astonishing achievement in terms of sheer scope and ambition, it also poses a challenge that will leave readers grappling with the complexities of Danielewski's vision. For those willing to surrender to its grandeur, this behemoth of a book offers a visceral, cinematic experience that will leave them gasping for breath and questioning everything they thought they knew about the western genre.
Set against a backdrop of 1980s Utah, 'Tom's Crossing' revolves around Kalin March, a precocious teenage outsider, who forms an unlikely bond with popular Tom Gatestone over their shared passion for horses. When Tom succumbs to cancer, Kalin takes on the daunting task of saving the two horses they adore from certain doom at the local knacker's yard. Joined by Tom's eccentric little sister Landry and even his ghost, Kalin embarks on a perilous journey across the unforgiving Isatch mountain range.
The narrative masterfully blends elements of a classic western with cinematic flair, as Kalin navigates treacherous landscapes, confronts violent adversaries, and faces off against family rivalries in a heart-pumping climax. Beneath its deceptively dense surface, 'Tom's Crossing' presents an irresistible tale of survival, loyalty, and the primal struggle for existence.
However, it is precisely this unyielding confidence that makes 'Tom's Crossing' both alluring and infuriating to read. Danielewski exercises his immense creative control with a zeal that borders on obstinacy, embracing an idiosyncratic narrative voice that veers wildly between Homeric epic grandeur and rustic hayseed colloquialism. The result is a writing experience that oscillates between the sublime and the confounding.
Throughout the novel, Danielewski wields his vast knowledge of disparate subjects with dizzying speed, conjuring elaborate digressions on topics ranging from horse riding to modern art. While some moments of this hyperomniscience are truly exhilarating, others leave the reader bewildered and struggling to grasp the relevance to the main plot.
Ultimately, 'Tom's Crossing' appears to be an exercise in literary immortality, written with one eye firmly fixed on the academic seminar room rather than the casual reader. The novel's labyrinthine structure seems designed to confound rather than engage, even as its core narrative beats like a wild western heart, pulsating with life and primal energy.
While 'Tom's Crossing' is undeniably an astonishing achievement in terms of sheer scope and ambition, it also poses a challenge that will leave readers grappling with the complexities of Danielewski's vision. For those willing to surrender to its grandeur, this behemoth of a book offers a visceral, cinematic experience that will leave them gasping for breath and questioning everything they thought they knew about the western genre.
I'm both intrigued and intimidated by 'Tom's Crossing'. Danielewski is known for pushing boundaries with his writing style, and this novel seems to be no exception 
. With a 1,200-page tome, it's clear he's not afraid to take risks – and potentially alienate some readers in the process 
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. It's going to be fascinating to see how readers respond to this behemoth of a book – will they rise to the challenge, or get lost in its complexity? 
Mark Danielewski is BACK and he's BRINGING THE HEAT 
with his new novel 'Tom's Crossing'! I mean, 1,200 pages?!?!?! That's like, a whole lotta readin' material 
But seriously, the dude is all about pushing boundaries and defying expectations. The western genre just got a major upgrade 
. It's like he took every epic poem, western classic, and cinematic masterpiece and mashed them all together into one MASSIVE novel 
. Will it be too much for some readers? Maybe, but for those who are down to take on the challenge, 'Tom's Crossing' is shapin' up to be a wild ride 
. Can't wait to dive in and experience this behemoth of a book for myself!
, but I'm low-key intimidated by the 1,200 pages lol what if I get lost in all the storylines and historical stuff? 
how do you keep track of everything? 
does anyone have a map to navigate this massive book? 
The fact that it's 1,200 pages long is insane, I mean who writes a book that's basically a western epic on steroids? Danielewski's got some serious balls for taking on such a massive project. But at the same time, I'm intrigued by his willingness to experiment with narrative voice and structure. It sounds like he's going all in on this thing, which either pays off or completely loses you... either way, I'm intrigued! 
i mean yes, some parts might be hard to follow but that's part of the charm right?! it sounds like a wild ride with horses, mountains, and ghostly apparitions... what more could you ask for??? 
bring on the epic western saga!!!
it's like they're saying "hey, we can fit an entire library into one book" 
his writing style is all over the place, like he threw everything at the wall and saw what stuck 
i'm curious to see how it pays off, but i'm also terrified 
. AT TIMES, I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING PULLED IN TOWARDS THIS WORLD WITH DANIELLEWSKI AS MY GUIDE, BUT OTHERS HAVE ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD LIKE "WAIT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" 
Either way, it's definitely a book that'll leave you talking for weeks! 
i mean, i love mark danielewski's style but this one sounds like its going to be a total slog to get through. all those random tangents and historical digressions are gonna make me wanna pull my hair out 
i appreciate the ambition and all but can we just have a simple story for once? 
1,200 pages? Are you kiddin' me?! 
just read about mark danielewski's new book tom's crossing and i'm SHOOK! 1,200 pages is CRAZY but if it's gonna be as epic as house of leaves then i'm SO down for the ride 
and if anyone can make a western epic feel like cinematic gold, it's him 
can't wait to dive in!
. I'm not sure if I'd be brave enough to take on that behemoth 
! Interesting to see him experimenting with different narrative voices and styles... but also maybe leaving some readers scratching their heads 
! 1200 pages is insane, but honestly, who needs sleep when you can immerse yourself in a literary behemoth? 