Doua sunt personajele de seama ale acestui roman care aduce cu o destainuire: Rabo Karabekian - armeanul nascut in America si Circe Borman - vaduva ce-si leaga viata sufleteasca de Rabo.
Povestea, redata asemeni muncii dintr-un atelier de pictura, urmareste atat viata si munca - abstract expresionista, lui Rabo Karabekian cat si interactiunea cu America de dupa cel de-al doilea razboi mondial privita ca un observator non salant, precum si cu reprezentanti de seama ai acestei Americi.
Asemeni unei plimbari printr-un labirint al vietii, Rabo Karabekian isi reda viata prin conversatii indelungi purtate cu Circe Berman, recunoscand ca o viata de om nu este intotdeauna suficienta pentru a exprima trairi si experiente prin care poate trece un om.
Intalnirile si experientele de viata alaturi de artisti precum Pollock, Rothko sau Picasso, sunt tot atatea motive ce vor sfarsi transpuse pe o panza asemeni celei exprimate de Picasso in Guernica.
Abstract expresionismul este doar un laitmotiv pentru a facilita expresia inutilitatii vietii daca aceasta nu este transpusa in arta.
O anumita scena, parca sintetizeaza intreaga viziune a povestitorului: "Doamna Berman mi-a spus o legenda despre tigani, pe care nu o auzisem pana atunci.
- Au reusit sa fure cuiele aduse de soldatii romani, care urmau sa-l rastigneasca pe Isus. Cand soldatii le-au cautat, acestea disparusera in mod misterios. Le furasera tiganii, si Isus si multimea adunata a trebuit sa astepte pana cand soldatii au trimis pe cineva sa le aduca altele. Dupa intamplare, Dumnezeu Atotputernicul le-a dat voie tiganilor sa fure tot ce puteau."

This is maybe the fourth or fifth Vonnegut book I've read, having only been introduced to him recently, sadly. I'm becoming quite a fan of his writing. What I like about him is that a lot of deep truths mask the ironic and humorous statements he makes. Definitely a must-read for those who like satire.

I'd call this Vonnegut's sweetest novel, but then again I'm a big ol' softie.

5 stars. He's made similar points before but this one ends up achingly tender. Really shows Vonnegut's range and skill, plucking heartstrings so forcefully with so few words.

This may not be considered one Vonnegut's better books, but it just spoke to me, and stayed with me. Loved this one, probably because of all of Vonnegut's characters, Rabo Karabekian seemed the most real to me. His flaws were real. He wasn't unhinged or disaffected or insane like Billy Pilgrim or Dwayne Hoover. Or perhaps I just gravitate toward the struggling/failed artist type (love Kigore Trout as well...).

“Everything about life is a joke. Don't you know that?”


From beginning to end, Bluebeard has Kurt Vonnegut written all over it. His irreverent tone, summed up in the quote above, along with his concomitant exploration of what it means to be human, brings together familiar themes in Vonnegut’s work. Bluebeard is the mock autobiography of abstract expressionist painter, Rabo Karabekian, a character who first appeared in Breakfast of Champions. This is a book about what art is and what it can do in a society in which, according to Karabekian, “the young people of today seemed to be trying to get through life with as little information as possible.”

For Karabekian, such information offers a connection to humanity and all of its symbols and cultural artifacts. It thus goes to the heart of what it means to be an artist. However, best-selling popular writer, Circe Berman (who moves in with Karabekian) tells him that such knowledge is useless. Their relationship reflects a debate between high and low culture. It is no surprise then that Karabekian and Berman have a very different view of the abstract expressionism Karabekian espouses. Karabekian is repeatedly asked to explain what his art is about. However, in a response that works for the artist as well as the writer, he repeatedly maintains that the artist doesn’t owe it to the public to give them what they want. What’s really wanted is a challenge.
Not sure how I’ll place it with other Vonnegut classics, but I really enjoyed Bluebeard! 4.5 stars

“The darkest secret of this country, I am afraid, is that too many of its citizens imagine that they belong to a much higher civilization somewhere else. That higher civilization doesn’t have to be another country. It can be the past instead—the United States as it was before it was spoiled by immigrants and the enfranchisement of the blacks.”

From Bluebeard (1987)

Vonnegut’s humor, cultural criticism and his anti-war messages were my favorite things about the book. Can’t really tell why but there is something different in his lines, nothing really happens but you feel engaged in the story. Before you even realize it suddenly becomes addictive. The flow of the book is fantastic. It’s not only funny and has magnificent satire but also the characters make you feel involved in them. I didn’t want to put it down and I am looking forward to reading more of his work.

Not his best. Actually, maybe his worst.
After reading many of Vonnegut's books, some elements begin to get tiresome, like a (fairy) tale told several times with little variations. Casual encounters, big fortunes, and so on. But there are too many bizarre coincidences in this one. War is bad, capitalism too, money is great though, and so on and so forth. Can't reach the level of Galápagos, etc. Felt a bit too Anglo-Saxon mainstream on some occasions, despite being so full of insights into American society, as valid then as now. The dialogues are bland, sometimes awful, and the last fifth of the novel offers a sickening sweet-sentimental plot, not to call it kitsch as hell.
Still, there are some bright moments, and Vonnegut makes always for an entertaining read.

To niesamowite jak długo udało mi się mijać z książkami Kurta Vonneguta. Oczywiście słyszałem o "Rzeźni numer 5" i ogólnie, że Amerykanin wielkim pisarzem był i... właśnie ta domniemana wielkość pisarza oraz moja wrodzona przekora odpychała mnie od jego twórczości.

Tymczasem Vonnegut ujął mnie lekkim stylem, suchymi żartami, ciekawymi przemyśleniami i piekielną erudycją. Zmyślona biografia fikcyjnego malarza - nieudacznika ekspresjonisty jest jest punktem wyjścia dla ciekawych dywagacji na temat sztuki, życia, wojny... wszystkiego, przy czym "Sinobrodego" czyta się niebywale lekko i przyjemnie, jeśli ktoś oczywiście gustuje w takim suchym humorze. Chyba się polubimy z panem pisarzem.

Я не думала, що зможу полюбити книжки Воннеґута ще більше.

How would you describe Bluebeard? Well, it’s a story that imitates another story. It’s fiction imitating autobiography which ends up imitating a diary which also happens to imitate a French folktale.

You could say, it’s art imitating life, imitating life imitating art. Well, life imitating American postmodern art to be precise which, according to Rabo Karabekian, isn’t supposed to imitate anything. Imagine if they made a movie about this book. We’d have ourselves a party writing reviews.

I dunno, you figure it out.

Gee though, how much do I enjoy Vonnegut’s books? Probably about this much.

*Holds arms wide to imitate something large*

“What will be found written after the name Rabo Karabekian in the Big Book on Judgment Day?

Soldier: Excellent.
Husband and Father: Floparroo.
Serious artist: Floparroo”

Loved this autobiography of the fictional painter Rabo Karabekian (who briefly appears in Breakfast of Champions and Deadeye Dick). In typical KV fashion, it touches on morality, war, and the human condition. And, of course, there’s that dark humor I so adore.

One thing I've discovered is that people tend to have different favorites of Vonnegut's work. Many prefer Slaughter House Five, some love Breakfast of Champions, and my sister's favorite is Galapagos.

The only person I've ever met whose favorite Vonnegut book is Bluebeard is... me. So it goes.

The book follows former abstract expressionist painter Rabo Karabekian, serving as his autobiography and a mystery story simultaneously. The mystery? What is Rabo keeping in the huge potato barn on his large estate.

Some of you may remember Mr. Karabekian from Breakfast of Champions; he was largely the same character, albeit younger in years. He's famous for his paintings, you see: he would take huge canvases, spray paint them all one color, and put pieces of colored tape on them.

There's several jokes regarding Rabo's paintings, one of which he gave away in Breakfast: his work is Rabo's view of the human soul. When you strip away all of the unnecessary crap that makes us up, we're all basically glowing shafts of light, represented by the pieces of tape.

I won't give away the other joke, but it's a good one.

Anyway, this book is a lot of things: a reflection on an imaginary life, a faux biography, and a moral we could all probably take to heart. And we do get to find out what Bluebeard keeps in his potato barn. It's a darned big thing.