Problems. Life is full of problems, although life was wonderful in Barcelona in those days, and problems were called surprises.

- from The Savage Detectives

Problems were called surprises. What a wonderful line. Were I tempted to do that thing a critic might do--pick a line with which to unlock or unravel an entire text--that might be the line I'd use to begin unlocking or unraveling The Savage Detectives. It might also be the line I'd use to unlock or unravel many other things in this life, such as the writing of a novel, but that's neither here nor there. Mostly because it is everywhere.

I'm almost done with Detectives. I like it. Not as much as I guess I'm supposed to like it. But it's been a good book, overall. I'm looking forward to the ending, which I suspect is going to be a good one.