"The Grand Complication"

The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzweil is a fantastic (as in improbable), and superficial story. Within exactly 360 pages it chronicles the adventures of Alexander Short, reference librarian, and his involvement with a mysterious patron. In a fine play on words, Henry James Jesson III, is both a patron of the library, and soon Alexander's employer. Ensnared in a wild, and highly improbable hunt to make complete a collection of antiquities for Jesson, Alexander rapidly moves from the “safety” of the card catalog to interacting with a range of strange people and institutions. In the process Alexander alienates his wife Nic, and risks his career at the library.

At the end of 360 pages it does not feel like one understands either Alexander or his employer adequately. Particularly what motivates Jesson? The characters motivations are lacking partly due to the lack of depth to Alexander, Nic, and Jesson. Without greater characterization the reader is hard pressed to either believe the story or to like the characters. Due to the farcical nature the novel is less engaging than it could be. There is a great deal of focus on card catalogues, the Dewey Decimal system, and general bibliomania. It is enjoyable reading, but the only similarity to (claimed by the dust jacket) Umberto Eco is due to the action occurring in a library, and the mystery which they are trying to solve.