Jesse Ball is a respected voice in contemporary fiction, with novels such as “The Way Through Doors” and “How to Set a Fire and Why.” In spite of the dark, depressing and even graphic content in his writing, his work ultimately reveals the enduring power of hope, love and creativity.
Ball is not afraid to write about disturbing topics, which makes his newest novel “Census” (HarperCollins, 2018) a modern masterpiece that presents characters who persevere in the face of adversity.
“Census” is a hauntingly beautiful novel about an unnamed widower given a terminal diagnosis who now must seek help for his adult son with Down syndrome. Father and son travel together through towns named in alphabetical order (the father is officially employed as Census taker), a metaphor about how life is a journey that can be disorderly at times. Indeed, this father and son duo encounter many challenges along the way to the final letter, “Z.”
Even with the difficulties that they face, the father ultimately has to deal with tough and philosophical questions about how to cope with reality. This powerful novel might be hard to read because of its heavy subject matter, but it can still serve as a reminder to keep going in life no matter what obstacles lie ahead.
Ball’s very prose style, unconventional to say the least, displays his commitment to innovative writing. Part of this mastery is the ability to mix different kinds of sentences within one page. In many instances, simple sentences appear right after very lengthy paragraphs. This writing technique could also symbolize how itself does not always progress so smoothly.
Indeed, the trials and tribulations that the father and son encounter on their travels are metaphorical because they symbolize how life itself is never always that easy. Even with the atypical form of writing, the prose is still a pleasure to read because it offers a sense of hope that maybe the father and son will find happiness eventually after enduring the struggles that they face side-by-side. It is almost as if they embark on an odyssey that parallels the famous epic poem by Homer because these two characters have to combat against difficulties as they reach the final letter “Z.” Readers interested in knowing what happens at the end must first endure all of the letters of the alphabet, which is also a lot like the challenge associated with reading a full-length novel from beginning to end.
Jesse Ball is a masterful writer with the audacity to challenge the conventions of modern fiction. His ideas might make some readers feel uncomfortable, but such harsh truths all reflect the bleakness of reality. Nevertheless, readers can actually learn a lot from “Census” because it remind us that life can still be a blessing even with the hardships it brings. This novel might not be an easy read, but readers can summon up the courage to take the journey alongside a loving father and his son with a disability as they learn what the purpose of the titular “Census” is all about.
Alex Andy Phuong graduated from California State University-Los Angeles with his Bachelor of Arts in English in 2015. He is very passionate about art and culture, which is part of the reason why he studied the humanities extensively during his undergraduate career. Alex also loves cinema and has written reviews for more one hundred motion pictures. Finally, he loves writing for the sake of creativity and productivity, which is why he constantly contributes writing voluntarily.
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