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A woman discovers a possible secret mail system
1966Fast paceThoughtful
What it is about
Oedipa Maas is named the executor of a former lover’s will. As she goes through the estate, she finds hints of a secret underground postal system. The story becomes a strange search for meaning.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who want a short postmodern novel.
What you will get
The shortest of Pynchon’s major works.
The Crying of Lot 49 Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Literary Fiction · Conspiracy · Postmodern · California
Length
152 pages · ≈ 4 h
More about this book
Characters
Oedipa Maas.
Setting
California in the 1960s.
What makes it different
A short, strange novel that is often the first Pynchon book people read.
Feel
Odd, funny and puzzling.
Something to Answer For
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
A Wild Sheep Chase
Big Little Lies
Possession
The Sea, the Sea
Kafka on the Shore
The Cider House Rules