I really enjoyed the first reading in Mumbo Jumbo. It was incredibly refreshing after Ragtime. Mainly, I enjoy that Reed seems to enjoy writing. He plays around with structure and formatting in a fun way. This totally contrasts Doctorow, who writes in what I believe is an elevated manner. Both writers are hard to decipher at times, but trying to tease meaning from Mumbo Jumbo is enjoyable. It’s like wandering through a maze, unlike in Ragtime, where trying to make sense of things could be a total chore. Both novels jump around a lot, but it feels much more natural in Mumbo Jumbo. I’m quite glad that we are reading a surreal, fun book after the drollness of Ragtime. I enjoy Reed’s take on postmodernism so much more than Doctorow’s due to his playfulness that I’ve already mentioned way too much. In addition to messing around with style and format, he seems to lampoon a lot of culture. The epidemic of Jes Grew is a parody. I really like and respect Reed’s commentary on cultural issues being delivered in a palatable, easygoing manner. I’m glad he makes this commentary without making the reader just feel sad, like Doctorow. While reading Mumbo Jumbo, you’re always on your feet, not knowing what’s going to happen next; he consistently changes things up and keeps the story interesting and fresh, unlike Doctorow, whose variations in his story seem to just die out after half of the novel. I am really looking forward to reading more of Mumbo Jumbo.
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