Flann O'Brien's At Swim Two Birds

There is something really exciting about reading a novel that defies the standard expectations of form. Flann O'Brien begins his novel, At Swim-Two-Birds, under the premise that "A good book may have three openings entirely dissimilar and inter-related only in the presence of the author, or for that matter one hundred times as many endings." That is precisely how this novel begins...and ends. The narrative is written in layers with the actual author writing a story about a writer writing a story about another writer writing a story. In some odd way, it reminds me of the movie Inception, not by any means in content, but in form. You know, the dream within a dream within a dream?

I like the narration and humor. The narrator is a wonderfully odd man. The humor is subtle, a little dry, but hilarious. The story that the narrator writes is entertaining as well. I can't say that I always understand what's going on in this story within a story. It requires a little bit of effort of my behalf. Well worth it though. What's particularly nice about this novel, and what generates a sense of confusion as well, is the manner in which O'Brien's layers begin to overlap.

Check out this link: http://www2.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=15434