The Lessian Odyssey

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Pages: 273 Genre: literary fiction

Rating: 4 Star

Kindle Notes and Highlights

Less-than-successful author Arthur Less is about to turn 50, right around the same time his not-quite-but-still-an-ex boyfriend-of-9-years is getting married. He can't attend, but he can't not attend either. So, what's the solution? Start accepting every invitation that will take him out of the country for the next few months. Thus begins Less' odyssey that will take him to Mexico, Italy, Germany, Morocco, France, India, and Japan. Surely nothing could wrong!

This was such a fun little book, and truly a quick read too. It's certainly not the most action-packed book, but I found the characters and scenarios charming enough.

Arthur Less is a good protagonist. I enjoyed seeing how he grows, but also unpacking how he ended up where he did. (Literally and figuratively, I suppose.) And I appreciate how many levels he was written on. I don't want to explain that because I think that would get us too close to spoilers, but there are parallels upon parallels in this book.

I also really liked the narrator. I won't spoil that either, but it's not Less, and I thought they were a charming addition to the story of Arthur Less. The story would not have had as much weight without the narrator.

The story itself was fine. There were funny and entertaining moments, but I'm not going to recommend this book to anyone because of the plot. The real story is with Less and seeing him as a character. Although it was undeniably fun to see the world through Less — ever developing, goofy, and painfully American Less.

If you like books that are truly character studies, this is one you shouldn't miss.