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Alan's Reviews > Satantango

Satantango by László Krasznahorkai
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bookshelves: origin-hungarian, author-krasznahorkai

Steps forward, steps backward. A plot tango. A dance of linguistic prowess. There is conspiracy bubbling on in the background—I was never at ease while reading the book. I started to understand the front cover of my New Directions paperback edition of the book; lots of random lines back and forth, connected at key points, scribbles that resemble spider webs. No linear path forward, but a mass movement, an undulating line.

I am saying nothing that really makes sense here, I get that. Those are my only thoughts so far, and I am writing this because I don’t believe they will change too much off of a first reading, no matter how much I let it stew. Jacob Silverman wrote a great review of the book for The New York Times in 2012, so I suggest taking a look there. As for me, I liked it; I didn’t love it. It made me think about story, translation, and plot orthodoxy. I will amble around and come back, eventually getting to The Melancholy of Resistance. For now, I am just relieved that I get to read paragraphs again. But man, Krasznahorkai, well done.
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Reading Progress

January 9, 2022 – Started Reading
January 9, 2022 – Shelved
January 9, 2022 –
page 79
27.43% "There is a "chunky" energy to this writing. The heat is on low, but something is still bubbling in the background. Anxiety."
January 14, 2022 –
page 165
57.29% "Has been slower with this one - school has picked up, but that's not an excuse for the dense blocks of texts presented here. Despite it all, different areas of the blurry image are becoming less hazy."
January 17, 2022 – Shelved as: origin-hungarian
January 17, 2022 – Finished Reading
January 2, 2024 – Shelved as: author-krasznahorkai

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Comments Showing 1-14 of 14 (14 new)

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message 1: by emily (new) - added it
Jan 18, 2022 08:21AM

emily Fab review, Alan. I've always wanted to read this, but - have always felt slightly intimidated by it as well, haha .


message 2: by Adina (way behind on reviews, some notifications) (new) - added it
Jan 18, 2022 11:28AM

Adina (way behind on reviews, some notifications) :)) You make perfect sense. I've had it for a while but I am afraid to start it. As Emily wrote, it feels intimidating.


message 3: by Ken (new) - added it
Jan 18, 2022 12:02PM

Ken I'm envious, being on only p. 50 or something, finding excuses to read all these poetry books lying around until I get back to Satan. And, as said before, I am addicted to paragraphs. And punctuation. And capitalization (every country should have one). But Laz only lacks when it comes to paragraphs, reminding me of that Ducks Newburyport book everyone thinks is all that and I just say "All that is too much!"

But I'm going to give it the old college, I am, before I surrender. A sustained bout of reading now that I am no longer playing host at home as I have since mid-December.


message 4: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 03:30PM

Alan emily wrote: "Fab review, Alan. I've always wanted to read this, but - have always felt slightly intimidated by it as well, haha ."

Thanks Emily - well, the good thing is that it's only about 280 pages. It would be another thing entirely if it was a chunker. But chipping, chipping away. I think it's worth it for sure!


message 5: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 03:33PM

Alan Adina wrote: ":)) You make perfect sense. I've had it for a while but I am afraid to start it. As Emily wrote, it feels intimidating."

I certainly get that Adina. For me, you get used to the form and lack of paragraphing, but the "rough" part was getting used to the cultural setting - it was the first book I had read by a Hungarian author.


message 6: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 03:35PM

Alan Ken wrote: "I'm envious, being on only p. 50 or something, finding excuses to read all these poetry books lying around until I get back to Satan. And, as said before, I am addicted to paragraphs. And punctuati..."

Oh yes, suddenly anything and everything in the library seems more alluring. Ducks Newburyport is staring at me at the moment, and it will continue doing so for a while. I don't want to read a 1000 page sentence, basically. The fact that the fact that the fact that the fact that.... yeah, gotcha. Too much of a good thing.

Can't even fathom reading this in between entertaining others. Good on you.


message 7: by Josh (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 03:46PM

Josh There's no reason to feel intimidated by Krasznahorkai, even though I completely understand the feeling. I've read 3 of his books so far for more of the experience or how it makes me feel, rather than how good I think it is.


message 8: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 04:22PM

Alan Josh wrote: "There's no reason to feel intimidated by Krasznahorkai, even though I completely understand the feeling. I've read 3 of his books so far for more of the experience or how it makes me feel, rather t..."

I agree with you Josh, but only in hindsight. Since this was my first one, I had that inkling. Also completely with you on how it makes you feel, which in this case loosely ties to how well it was executed.


message 9: by Anthony (new) - rated it 5 stars
Jan 18, 2022 08:27PM

Anthony Ruta Well said, Alan. Satantango plays hard to get, its scenes surreal and hard to comprehend, I spend many hours repeating same few pages. But on reaching the end I liked it, and was even inspired to watch the 7 hours movie but never got around to finish it.


message 10: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 18, 2022 09:55PM

Alan Anthony wrote: "Well said, Alan. Satantango plays hard to get, its scenes surreal and hard to comprehend, I spend many hours repeating same few pages. But on reaching the end I liked it, and was even inspired to w..."

Cheers Anthony, and thank you for the recommendation on this one. I enjoyed it. Did I enjoy it enough to sign up for 7.5 hours of black and white Bela Tarr? Hmmm.


message 11: by Matthew Ted (new) - added it
Jan 19, 2022 01:05AM

Matthew Ted Always thought this book was longer, like 500 pages, maybe it felt that long when reading it, huh? I remember years back when finding out about this and the film and watching a scene on YouTube, it was of a girl walking towards the camera in a forest. That was it. And man it went on, just that. Young me realised I was out of my depth there and then.


message 12: by Josh (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 19, 2022 04:09PM

Josh Alan wrote: "Anthony wrote: "Well said, Alan. Satantango plays hard to get, its scenes surreal and hard to comprehend, I spend many hours repeating same few pages. But on reaching the end I liked it, and was ev..."

You could always try Tarr's "The Turin Horse". Krasznahorkai's prose was the inspiration for the movie. It's been years since I watched it, but it was highly effective.


message 13: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 20, 2022 06:10PM

Alan Matthew Ted wrote: "Always thought this book was longer, like 500 pages, maybe it felt that long when reading it, huh? I remember years back when finding out about this and the film and watching a scene on YouTube, it..."

Felt that way for about the first 100 pages or so - but then I got right into the flow. I had the same tendency, getting into something and realizing I was out of my depth. Always with books or films. At least we keep going.


message 14: by Alan (new) - rated it 3 stars
Jan 20, 2022 06:10PM

Alan Josh wrote: "Alan wrote: "Anthony wrote: "Well said, Alan. Satantango plays hard to get, its scenes surreal and hard to comprehend, I spend many hours repeating same few pages. But on reaching the end I liked i..."

That's a great suggestion - Just over two hours is much more manageable. Thanks Josh!


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