Quicksilver, a few halfway thoughts

[sawyl]

I've finally passed the halfway point in Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver. In my defence, I didn't read it while I was away but instead schlepped it around with me like some sort of brick-like talisman against boredom only to reject it in favour of rereading some much loved favourites.

All of which might give the impression that I'm not really enjoying it. I am. It's funnier than I expected, cleverly written and I've detected signs tha something resembling an actual plot might be about to start. But. It still feels like a bit of a slog. More than anything, reading it reminds me of Hanslick's famous remark on first hearing the two piano version of Brahms' 4th symphony: that he felt like he had been beaten by two incredibly intelligent men. I now believe I know how he feels.