A Companion to V.

by J. Kerry Grant

To the uninitiated, Thomas Pynchon’s V. seems to defy comprehension with its open-ended and fragmented narrative, huge cast of characters (some 150 of them), and wide range of often obscure references. J. Kerry Grant’s Companion to “V.” takes us through the novel chapter by chapter, breaking through its daunting surface by summarizing events and clarifying Pynchon’s many allusions. The Companion draws extensively from existing critical and explicative work on V. to suggest the range of interpretations that the novel can support.The hundreds of notes that comprise the Companion are keyed to the three most widely cited editions of V. Most notes are interpretive, but some also provide historical and cultural contexts or help to resurrect other nuances of meaning. Because it does not constitute a particular “reading” of, or “take” on, the novel, the Companion will appeal to a wide range of users. Rather than attempting to make final sense of the novel, the Companion exposes and demystifies Pynchon’s intent to play with our conventional attitudes about fiction.

Genres: Reference

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2001

Reviews

[Archit Joshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better for a second read of V. Not a reader's guide per se but more of a scholar's guide. Mostly helpful. Sometimes frustrating. Full of spoilers from the beginning.

[Joe Molenaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good partner book to explain certain historical figures and references, but sometimes it can make Pynchon's ideas more confusing.

[Juliana Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very helpful set of footnotes, which I worked through as I read V.

[severyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

An annotated edition of the book would be a lot easier, physically.

[Shashi Martynova · Rating 4 out of 5]

workbench for V.
helpful albeit a bit too hair-splitting and redundant at times