61 pages 2 hours read

Italo Calvino

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1979

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino is a postmodern novel featuring a dual narrative: the Reader's journey through a series of fragmented, unfinished books and the narrator's direct address to the Reader. The novel starts when the Reader discovers a printing error and becomes entangled in a quest to find the book's conclusion, meeting various characters and encountering different incomplete stories along the way. The novel contains references to death by suicide and explicit sexual situations.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino is praised for its innovative narrative structure and playful engagement with the reader, providing a unique literary experience. However, some readers find the fragmented storytelling and frequent interruptions challenging to follow. Overall, it captivates with its originality but may not appeal to those seeking a linear plot.

Who should read this

Who Should Read If on a Winter's Night a Traveler?

A reader who enjoys metafiction, experimental narratives, and philosophical inquiries into the nature of reading and writing would find If on a Winter's Night a Traveler compelling. Fans of Jorge Luis Borges' Labyrinths and Vladimir Nabokov's Pale Fire are particularly likely to appreciate Calvino's innovative storytelling.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Magical Realism

Italian Literature

Classic Fiction

Themes

Values/Ideas: Literature

Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Values/Ideas: Art

Period

Post Modernism

Topics

Science / Nature

Arts / Culture

Politics / Government