For the boomer generation, the late sixties hold a special place in many hearts. It was a time of growth. A time of experimentation. A time of protest. A time of demonstrations. A time of revolution. And for Chris Carver, it was a time that he has spent the rest of his life trying to get away from. A time that has finally caught up to him.
MY REVOLUTIONS tells three stories. In the present, Chris Carver's assumed identity as Michael Frame, suburban husband and father, is starting to crumble. He flees before the walls come crashing in, hoping to find a lost love. As he flees, he recalls in flashbacks his youth as a late sixties protester and political activist. He also recalls the events of the past few months as his past catches up to him. All three threads approach their respective climaxes near the end of the book, when all comes together and Chris begins to find some sort of resolution.
Kunzru weaves all three threads of his story together with great skill, using the flashbacks to wend his way through the consciousness of his narrator. He effectively conveys the ardor, passion and idealism of Carver's activist youth without parody or cliche. He also conveys how that passion leads Carver onto a dark path that ends in a disillusion that lasts for decades.
MY REVOLUTIONS is not a happy book, but it is extremely good, and well worth the read. If you want to know what the Spirit of 1968 was about, this is a great place to learn.
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