Book Review: On the Calculation of Volume
3 days ago
- #literary fiction
- #philosophical novel
- #time loop
- The book series 'On the Calculation of Volume' by Solvej Balle is a septology, with five volumes released, centered on a Danish antiquarian book dealer stuck in a time loop on November 18th.
- Volume I uses minimalist prose to explore the protagonist Tara's life in the loop, focusing on her marriage and the eerie familiarity of repeated days, akin to a phenomenology textbook in novel form.
- Volume II follows Tara as she travels across Europe, using the loop to observe seasonal changes and light variations, turning the travelogue concept inside out with her as the stationary observer.
- Volume III introduces other characters also trapped in the loop, including Henry Dale, exploring relationships and societal dynamics among those sharing the same repeated day.
- Volume IV expands to a community of fifty loopers, shifting from individual to collective narration, and delves into philosophical debates on society, resources, and existence within the loop.
- Volume V depicts the community settling into routines, with themes of acceptance, daily life, and the profound insight that repetition can build meaning when embraced.
- The series is praised as a brilliant meditation on time, selfhood, marriage, and the prosaic aspects of life, comparing its depth to works like Joyce's Ulysses, with future volumes anticipated.