I read The Joke in about three hours. It was that engaging for me. It was my third Kundera, and the one that grabbed me the most. Some of my enjoyment, of course, was due to the novel itself, but I am also a sucker for all things related to the Czech Republic. This dates back to my childhood and then ten or so years I spent studying violin from an amazing woman from Prague.
I am absolutely passionate about Prague. Sarah and I got to spend a few days there before my junior year of college (and actually faced some challenges getting out of Prague) and it was simply wonderful. It is such a beautiful, amazing city. I also am crazy passionate about Mucha and I've played a ton of Dvorak, and I just love the Czech Republic. This is important context, though it's also worth noting that my knowledge of its history is not as extensive as it should be.
The Joke is tragically exquisite. Kundera handles the multiple perspectives beautifully, and he uses those perspectives to complicate our understanding of the meaning of the events. While the story has many themes and possible topics for focus, I was particularly struck by the role of forgiveness in the novel, and the questions it raises both about our capacity to forgive and also about the way that our inability to forgive erodes us. I was also fascinated by Lucie. Someone should do a re-telling/re-imagining of the story from her perspective. She is the turn of the novel, the center, but her voice is completely absent.
The 39 Steps is a bit of an odd one to follow The Joke, I'll admit. They really have nothing in common. The 39 Steps is enjoyable in its own way. It feels rather Hitchcockian or like the thriller Agatha Christie's. There's nothing particularly special about it, but it would make for a good read on an airplane or long bus ride (say on a trip to or from Prague).
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