IVIV (1)

[John Carvill]

If I had to offer just one reason to read Inherent Vice, despite its
lightness, despite it's lack of a lot of things the Pynchon fan looks
for in a Pynchon book, I would say this: light and easy-to-read though
it may be, it is still, unmistakably, wonderfully Pynchon. The idea
that this could be mistaken for an Elmore Leonard novel is absurd.
Even toned-down Pynchon is better than anything else that's hitting
the shelves around now. And it's fun.

If I was allowed to provide a second reason, I'd reiterate what's
already been said above (and elsewhere): there are autobiographical
hints in there, and given Pynchon's penchant for privacy, and the fact
that during the period of the book's setting he was writing his
greatest, most lastingly intriguing book, that's gotta be worth
reading, surely?