City of Glass is a postmodern mystery novel that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, identity and language. The protagonist, Daniel Quinn, is a mystery writer who takes on the role of a detective in a surreal investigation. As Quinn delves deeper into the case, following a man named Peter Stillman, he becomes entangled in a complex web of identities and narratives, questioning the nature of self and storytelling. The book's writing style combines elements of classic detective fiction with postmodernist themes, creating a narrative that is both compelling and thought-provoking.

Characters:

Characters are complex and fragmented, reflecting themes of identity and existential struggle, particularly through Quinn and Stillman.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style blends compelling narrative with postmodern, philosophical elements, creating a complex reading experience.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot involves Daniel Quinn, an author who adopts a detective persona, leading to a complex, existential narrative exploring identity and reality.

Setting:

The setting is urban New York City, which enhances the themes of isolation and identity.

Pacing:

The pacing is slow and reflective, focusing on existential concepts rather than rapid plot developments.

IT was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not. Much later, when he was able to think about...

Notes:

The protagonist, Daniel Quinn, is a writer of pulp detective fiction, not an actual detective.

Quinn adopts multiple personas throughout the story, including the pseudonym William Wilson and the fictional detective Max Work.

Quinn becomes involved in a case concerning Peter Stillman, a man who was isolated by his father to discover the 'true language' of creation.

The book explores deep philosophical conversations about language, identity, and the nature of existence.

Quinn's tragic backstory includes the loss of his wife and child, which affects his character throughout the narrative.

The story features postmodern themes, blurring the lines between fiction and reality, including the author, Paul Auster, appearing as a character.

The narrative deviates from a traditional mystery format, leaning more towards existentialism and psychological exploration.

Key dialogues in the book discuss the significance and meaning of words, illustrated with a metaphor involving an umbrella.

The story contains metafictional elements, as Quinn's experiences reflect the complexities and absurdities of life.

City of Glass is the first part of The New York Trilogy, which examines similar themes across its interconnected stories.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes related to mental health issues and existential crises, which may be disturbing for some readers.

From The Publisher:

'It was a wrong number that started it ...'Chosen as one of the '100 Most Important Comics of the Century', Faber is proud to publish the graphic novel City of Glass for the first time in the UK. As Art Spiegelman explains in his new introduction, David Mazzucchelli and Paul Karasik 'created a strange doppelganger of the original book' and 'a breakthrough work.' Paul Auster's Edgar Award-nominated masterwork has been astonishingly transformed into a new visual language.

Ratings (15)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (6)
Liked It (3)
It Was OK (4)

Reader Stats (34):

Read It (17)
Want To Read (14)
Not Interested (3)

What can you read after
City of Glass?

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About the Author:

Paul Auster is the best-selling author of Winter Journal, Sunset Park, Man in the Dark, The Brooklyn Follies, The Book of Illusions, The New York Trilogy, among many other works. In 2006 he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for Literature and inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.Among his other honours are the Independent Spirit Award for the screenplay of Smoke and the Prix Medicis Etranger for Leviathan. He has also been short-listed for both the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (The Book of Illusions) and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction (The Music of Chance). His work has been translated into more than thirty languages.He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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City of Glass

Paul Auster

Book 1 in the series:The New York Trilogy