Gogol Au Go Go (Sorry)
I just finished reading Dead Souls and with a completion time of three weeks, I believe I have set a new personal record. I was able to maintain the breathless pace of one chapter (twenty pages) per day, which is remarkable for a few reasons: 1) I read at the pace of an elementary schooler, 2) I often lose interest or get distracted and take a brief hiatus from books, and 3) I have a six-month-old daughter whose cuteness compels me to stop whatever I'm doing and nuzzle my nose into her belly. Nonetheless it was nice to be so captivated by a novel again.
At first I was intimidated by all the back cover talk of "solving the riddle of existence" and "capturing the riches of the Russian soul" but my concern was for naught; it is nothing but a lighthearted romp through the Russian countryside. I think the true strength of the book is its vivid characterizations, and the plot is really just a means to draw them out in a delightful procession. Gogol often mentions that the characteristics of these people are distinctly Russian but his insights are more universal than he may have thought. He crafts each character slowly, indulging in a little history where necessary and never failing to mention an idiosyncrasy, but the result is a perfect, archetypal character that anyone can identify with (and laugh at).
It is truly sad that the work was never completed (he destroyed much of the second part on the advice of a severe priest and died while fasting shortly afterwards) and my only disappointment was not knowing the end of his self-proclaimed epic poem. In the beginning of the second part, I began to feel that through Chichikov's journey he was driving toward some grand conclusion about the souls of men and the fate of Russia but sadly it will never be realized.
No matter--I am told that in a matter of weeks I will hear Dead Souls in all of its operatic glory and I am confident that it will comfort me and return me joyfully to the Russian countryside.