(Auster)ity

  

By page 1, I was irritated by the obscure literary references and seemingly pretentious writing.  By page 3, I could not put Invisible down.  This was my first foray into Auster's world, and it reminded me in a certain sense of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Angel's Game.  Both books tell the story of a young writer brimming with promise who is unexpectedly sought out by a mysterious supposed benefactor.  Things quickly go awry and spin out of control.  Invisible is absorbing, shocking, disturbing even.  I didn't feel particularly fond of his characters, but I was intrigued enough by the plot to read this book in two sittings.  While this adds another tick mark on the list of depressing books I've read this year, I'll be reading more Auster very soon.  The writing is simple and straightforward - Auster picks every word carefully, creating a sparse but palpable read.