Absalom, Absalom! is an historical fiction that synchronizes the events of one man's life with the downfall of the south after the Civil War. I didn't mind all the hundred-word sentences and 3-page paragraphs, but it was difficult to follow at times. The scenes would often change abruptly in mid-paragraph and so would the setting. Then it was sometimes difficult to decipher who was actually in the setting or what was happening, as Faulkner never explicitly tells you what's going on, but rather keeps you guessing about what's happened. While this book can be frustrating to follow, a few visits to sparknotes.com can clear up any confusion.
Faulkner is a great writer, and this is probably his best. I would have to say that Rosa's letter in chapter V is the highlight of this tragic novel, a novel in which it seems every single person goes through something horrible. It's as difficult to read emotionally as it is intellectually, but it's so admirable and symbolic that it could represent a milestone in classic fiction and the pinnacle of "modernist" literature.
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