MountainAshleah’s Reviews > Infinite Jest > Status Update

The Gately fever dream is rough going, especially this late in the novel. I'd be more tolerant of a multi-page fever dream earlier on. But by this point..eager to end this overly-long and rocky journey...no.

If only DFW had modeled the story of Hal and his journey on Joyce's Ulysses, we may have had something of value.

Dated, dull, slapstick with about 10% at best any real insight into anything.

This is even more slapstick and trite than I "feared" it might be. So disappointing.

Like sitting through a very long and not funny comedy sketch.

If ever a novel needed an abridgement, it's this. It's just too bombastic, too overwhelming, too much laughing at its own jokes and admiring its own superficial brilliance. Very disappointing, even given the 2% that is outstanding. Too much performance, not enough substance.