Robert Musil (1880–1942)

Critics praise Robert Musil’s uncompleted magnum opus, “The Man without Qualities.” The book deserves praise for the content and style of Robert’s prose. The narrative moves at a leisurely pace, which will leave many unsuspecting readers waiting for the climax, some dramatic moments, wild action or something that keeps you waiting with suspense.
Nothing happens. The narrative drifts from one scene to the next, from one setting to another, from one conversation to the next, from thoughts to thoughts, and from one life event to another.
You search for one distinguishing characteristic of Ulrich, the main protagonist in the story, but after going through almost 1,400 pages, you realize nothing sets him apart from anyone else. You, the reader, will wake up to the shocked realization that this insight applies to every character in the book.
Now, when you gaze around you, or introspect, you may understand with dismay that this great insight applies to you and to people around you. Most of us disappear into the great mass we call humanity, and the events of our lives disappear into the great void we call history.
Everyone understands books differently from another and, for me, this book represents human life and we could be the characters in the book. Conversations, thoughts, normal conversations and disputes fill the pages of the book, something that you may expect if you write the book of your life. I consider the conversations between Ulrich and his sister, Agathe, to be the most fascinating, but they appear late in the narrative.
I confess it is difficult to read 1,400 pages of a meandering narrative and, towards the middle, I began huffing and puffing. By the end, fatigue coursed through me, making me wonder if I’d make it to the end alive!
If Robert Musil had introduced Agathe in the middle or, before the middle, the book may have taken a few interesting turns. I sensed a deep, almost illicit bond between the siblings, but it’s possible I read too much into the conversation.
If the writing fascinates you, then I suggest you reread the book after a few years. I doubt most modern readers will get past the first one hundred pages: we live in an impatient world.… (more)