Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino is a unique and imaginative work that defies traditional categorization. The book focuses on the conversations between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan about various cities, exploring themes of imagination, creativity, and the subjective nature of reality.
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino is a book that resists easy classification. It's a work of experimental fiction that delves into the realms of imagination and creativity, challenging traditional notions of plot and character. The narrative revolves around the dialogues between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan about the cities Marco has visited, each city described with a distinct personality and surreal qualities. The true characters of the book are the readers themselves, invited to create their own interpretations and journeys. The book's strength lies in its ability to make the reader bring their own meaning to the text, making it a deeply subjective experience. It's a book that ridicules the concept of objectivity and encourages personal engagement with the material. For these reasons, it's a work that is worth exploring for its unique approach to storytelling.
Quick quotes
Invisible Cities is a book that defies categorization
With these in mind, it will likely be no surprise to hear that I loved Calvino’s book.
The actual characters of the book are its readers, invited to create and journey through their own creations, occurring simultaneously with (and as a result of) their reading.