ATD-general spoilerish impressions - p.429

[kelber at mindspring.com]

Just finished the Iceland Spar section (got the book on the 17th, thanks to living in the Anarchist Republic of Brooklyn):

















Round about in the 200's-300's, I was feeling a little worried:  the book was beginning to seem like USA (Dos Passos) or even Ragtime (Doctorow) on acid.  The lack of a clear protagonist was bothersome.  By the end of this section, it suddenly snapped into focus.  The Iceland Spar title is a very careful choice.  The concept of looking at one object (person/ideology, etc.) and seeing two separate images, for example, bomber as both terrorist and fighter for justice -- this permeated the whole section.  After realizing this, I've looked back on what I've read so far in a new light (aptly), and found it brilliant.

Laura