The Flamethrowers
* Selected as ONE of the BEST BOOKS of the 21st CENTURY by The New York Times * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * New York magazine’s #1 Book of the Year * Best Book of the Year by: The Wall Street Journal; Vogue; O, The Oprah Magazine; Los Angeles Times; The San Francisco Chronicle; The New Yorker; Time; Flavorwire; Salon; Slate; The Daily Beast
“Superb…Scintillatingly alive…A pure explosion of now.”—The New Yorker
Reno, so-called because of the place of her birth, comes to New York intent on turning her fascination with motorcycles and speed into art. Her arrival coincides with an explosion of activity—artists colonize a deserted and industrial SoHo, stage actions in the East Village, blur the line between life and art. Reno is submitted to a sentimental education of sorts—by dreamers, poseurs, and raconteurs in New York and by radicals in Italy, where she goes with her lover to meet his estranged and formidable family. Ardent, vulnerable, and bold, Reno is a fiercely memorable observer, superbly realized by Rachel Kushner.
“Superb…Scintillatingly alive…A pure explosion of now.”—The New Yorker
Reno, so-called because of the place of her birth, comes to New York intent on turning her fascination with motorcycles and speed into art. Her arrival coincides with an explosion of activity—artists colonize a deserted and industrial SoHo, stage actions in the East Village, blur the line between life and art. Reno is submitted to a sentimental education of sorts—by dreamers, poseurs, and raconteurs in New York and by radicals in Italy, where she goes with her lover to meet his estranged and formidable family. Ardent, vulnerable, and bold, Reno is a fiercely memorable observer, superbly realized by Rachel Kushner.
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THE FLAME THROWERS BY RACHEL KUSHNER
08/19/20141 Comment
The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner
383 pages
What’s it about?
The main character in this novel is a 23-year-old young woman named Reno. Reno is an artist that loves motorcycle riding, ski racing, and making short films. The story takes us to three very different locations. It is 1977 and we see the world of land-speed records in the West, the art scene in New York City, and the political upheaval of Italy.
What did it make me think about?
This novel has some incredible passages, but lacked cohesiveness. I would flat out call it weird. My sister loved it and says, “it is the story of an artist that wants to make an impact on the physical landscape she inhabits through her art, and yet she makes no impact on the people around her in her own life”. My smart sister hit on one of the major themes of this book. However, I think there were lots of themes in this book. It would make a great book club selection for the right group. Think AP book club!
Should I read it?
This book was not a page-turner. It was on almost everyone’s Best of 2013 list so I really was expecting to love it. I was initially disappointed, but I do find myself thinking about it now that I am done. I certainly did not grasp all of what Rachel Kushner was trying to say, but hopefully I will continue to process this book in the days and weeks to come. Should you read it? That is a good question.....
Quote- 2 quotes because the writing is so good.
“Chance, to me, had an absolute logic to it. I revered it more than I did actual logic, the kind that was built from solid materials, from reason and from fact. Anything could be reasoned into being, or reasoned away, with words, desires, rationales. Chance shaped things in a way that words, desires, rationales, could not. Chance came blowing in, like a gust of wind. “
"You have time. Meaning don't use it, but pass through time in patience, waiting for something to come. Prepare for it's arrival. Don't rush to meet it. Be a conduit. I believed him. I felt this to be true. Some people might consider that passivity but I did not. I considered it living."
Question-
What did you think of the novel? Share comments. I need help with this one!
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7 stars (with the understanding that some of you will think it is 10 stars and some of you will never finish it.)
An ambitious novel that attempted to connect multiple characters, points of view and themes across decades and continents.
Primarily told from the POV of "Reno", a young would-be artist recently arrived in New York City in the 1970s, and, flashing back, of Valera, the father of Reno's boyfriend Sandro and the patriarch of an Italian industrial conglomerate.
Reno is a bit of a cypher (purposefully, I think - so that the chauvinist men in her life can project on her) and Valera is entirely unsympathetic. I don't necessarily need my protagonists to be relatable or lovable, but I found myself uninvested in the story and struggling to keep reading.
Some scintillating prose and glimpses into interesting (and less interesting) subcultures, including land speed racing, 70s NYC art scene, NYC counterculture, and Italian anti-capitalist autonomous movements.
But by trying to do so much, I ultimately found the book to not do very much at all for me.
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