Adam’s Chair

Adam’s Chair by Barbara de la Cuesta is both an intriguing and surprising novel that shakes up any conceived notion of what a contemporary work should be. At first, the style was very hard for me to get into. The heavy modern tone, the quick styled pace, and the looping semi-narrative all at first baffled me. The story moved between character to character without any real background on them or introduction to when it is their turn.

To be honest, I had to put the book down a few times just to try and piece together the material in my mind. There was such a disconnected feeling at first, which took time for me to eventually overcome. However, I was most determined to finish, as I was loathe to the idea of leaving any of my books only half read.

But, eventually, as I read on, the style grew on me. Barbara de las Cuesta was challenging me to step outside of my comfort zone, a little box in which I was not even aware I had been sitting. I pushed through, accepted the challenge, and found beneath the surface a whole new world I had been missing out on! The stories, for while, says three, and I find there are actually several–all interwoven together. The way their individual strands stick out, and yet, at the same time, blend together, created such a beautiful work of tapestry of literary elegance. I am so glad I did not give up on this piece, as I now find myself enjoying Adam’s Chair more than ever.

You must have an open mind and a ready heart for this novel, and I would most definitely recommend that you check this out. Adam’s Chair is the contemporary novel of the ages and a soon-to-be classic in every household.