As I get further into River of Stars, I'm reminded of Infinite Jest. The plots of the two books are wildly different, their settings strike up a stark contrast, and the authors' writing styles are definitely at odds with one another (though also similar, at least in their using a distinct "oral storyteller" voice).
What really reminds me of Infinite Jest, though, is how Kay keeps introducing new characters (some of whom are only around for a chapter or less).
However, using these varied perspectives isn't working for me. As I read onward I'm interested in learning more about the world that Kay has created through the varied viewpoints in which he presents it, but aside from Ren and Lin I feel very little attachment to his characters. Conversely, I found myself getting invested in nearly all of Infinite Jest's characters.
The reason for this investment being that Wallace really shows you his characters' inner workings through the ticks and habits that each had. Unsurprisingly, Kay does that quite well with Lin and Ren, but the other characters that are introduced just aren't clicking with me. They are, however, building the book's world quite nicely. Though I can't say that it's a grand new world with interesting people in it.
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