BOOK REIVEW: Pessl starts slow, finishes strong
Ice moving on a glacier. Paint drying. The last day of elementary school. To this agonizing category, add the first half of Marisha Pessl’s debut novel, “Special Topics in Calamity Physics.”
Don’t get me wrong, Pessl is unquestionably a talented writer.
Her novel – part coming-of-age-story and part film noir – shows undeniable marks of greatness.
Her wit sparkles, aptly joining high and low humor with the greatest of ease.
Her hip narrative voice breezes effortlessly through an eclectic range of topics, from pop culture to Shakespearean allusions to Humphrey Bogart.
The histrionics of teenage angst, secret political conspiracies, murder mystery, “Stand and Deliver”-type teacher heroics, it’s all there in this sweeping dance of a book.
“Special Topics” follows the adventures of the erudite, deadpan Blue Van Meer. Blue’s the type of girl you hate to sit by in class – coached from the cradle by her English teacher father, she’s read and memorized everything you could ever dream of and most of what you can’t.
Thrust into a new town and a new school for her senior year of high school, Blue meets an enchanting teacher, Hannah Schneider. Things start to look up for her, thanks in large part to Ms. Schneider.
Then, an unspeakable crime throws the whole town into upheaval. As Blue begins to put together the clues, she uncovers a mystery that is far greater – and far worse – than anyone could ever have imagined.
The main problem with “Special Topics” is its pacing.
Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that the story takes a long time to get started – almost 300 pages have elapsed before the crime actually occurs. These 300 pages aren’t simply a waste of space; they play a part in the conclusion of the novel.
However, they do make the book excruciatingly slow-moving.
By the time the reader has overcome this first obstacle, the book has lost some of its luster.
It’s a shame, too; the rest of the novel is much better at showcasing Pessl’s virtuosic writing talent.
Make no mistake about it, there’s a lot to love in this book – an impressive debut for an incredibly promising writer. It’s just partially overshadowed by its slow takeoff.
Ben Clarke has read any good books lately, that’s why he’s the book critic for the Utah Statesman.
Send him feedback
at benclarke@cc.usu.edu.