Against the Day

by Thomas Pynchon
Against the Day cover
Good Books rating 4.12
Literary Fiction
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Paperback • £16.99
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  • ID: 6592
  • Added: 2025-11-26
  • Updated: 2025-12-13
  • ISBN: 9780099512332
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2007-01-01
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 4

Against the Day is a sprawling, intricate novel that showcases Thomas Pynchon's signature style. The story unfolds across multiple continents and timelines, featuring a diverse cast of characters who navigate a world filled with obscure languages, strange sexual practices, and contrary-to-fact occurrences. Pynchon's signature humor and intellectual playfulness are on full display, as characters break into song and engage in bizarre behaviors that defy conventional norms. The novel's richly detailed world is both a reflection of and a departure from our own, offering readers a glimpse into what the world might be with just a minor adjustment or two. /n/n The novel's complex plot and extensive cast of characters make it a challenging but rewarding read. Pynchon's exploration of themes such as science, technology, and the nature of reality is woven seamlessly into the narrative, creating a multi-layered experience that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. Against the Day is a testament to Pynchon's literary genius and his ability to create worlds that are both fantastical and deeply rooted in the human experience.

Reviews
Medium · 2025-11-26
good 4.75

This novel is the most insightful of Pynchon's works, tapping into the human experience in a profound way. The reviewer appreciates the book's depth and the way it connects with readers on a personal level.

The reviewer describes this novel as the most insightful of Pynchon's works, highlighting its ability to tap into the human experience in a profound way. They appreciate the book's depth and the way it connects with readers on a personal level. The reviewer also notes that the book's exploration of the human condition is particularly compelling, making it a standout among Pynchon's novels. They praise the author's ability to create a rich and immersive world that draws the reader in and keeps them engaged.

Quick quotes

    Against the Day is the most insightful of the four Thomas Pynchon books I have read so far.

    It is tapped into the human experience.

    The book's exploration of the human condition is particularly compelling.

January Magazine · 2025-11-26
brilliant 4.50

The novel is a sprawling, ambitious work that demands patience and attention. Its complexity and depth make it a rewarding read for those who appreciate intricate storytelling.

This book is a monumental piece of literature that weaves together multiple narratives and themes. The reviewer notes that it's not a quick or easy read, but the depth and complexity are what make it so compelling. They highlight the author's ability to create a rich, immersive world that draws the reader in, despite its length and density. The reviewer also mentions that the book's themes and characters are thought-provoking, making it a rewarding experience for those who stick with it.

Quick quotes

    It's a sprawling, ambitious work that demands patience and attention.

    Its complexity and depth make it a rewarding read for those who appreciate intricate storytelling.

    The book's themes and characters are thought-provoking.

The Bibliofile · Jennifer Marie Lin · 2017-04-22
complex 3.50

The novel's structure is purposefully uncoordinated, filled with non-sequiturs and faux science. It's a unique and challenging read that offers a rich, albeit complex, narrative.

Jennifer Marie Lin highlights the novel's uncoordinated structure, which is filled with lengthy non-sequiturs and passages describing faux science. This makes the reading experience both challenging and rewarding, as it requires a certain level of engagement and patience. The prose is dense and erudite, which can be both a strength and a weakness. Those who enjoy Pynchon's intricate and layered storytelling will appreciate the depth and complexity of the narrative. However, it might not be the best choice for readers looking for a straightforward and linear plot.

Quick quotes

    The novel has a purposefully uncoordinated structure, littered with lengthy non-sequiturs and passages describing faux science.

    It's a unique and challenging read that offers a rich, albeit complex, narrative.

    The prose is dense and erudite, which can be both a strength and a weakness.

Book Critics · 2010-12-09
insightful 3.75

The novel uses the real world as a lens to explore the human condition. It's a bold and insightful work that challenges conventional narrative structures.

This book is a bold exploration of the human experience, using the real world as a lens to view the ineffable. Pynchon's experimental and anti-narrative tendencies are on full display, making it a challenging but rewarding read. The novel's structure and style are unconventional, which might not appeal to everyone, but those who appreciate Pynchon's unique voice will find much to enjoy. It's a thought-provoking work that invites readers to question their perceptions of reality and the human condition.

Quick quotes

    Against the Day is the first of Pynchon's novels bold enough to posit the real world as the lens through which it views the ineffable human condition.

    Pynchon's experimental, anti-narrative tendencies appear in his latest novel, Against the Day (1,085 pages) in full-blown, runaway metastasis.

    It's a bit vague and wandering here and there for me.

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