i just noticed that next to 'my review' goodreads says 'what i learned from this book.' i guess what i learned from paul auster's leviathan is that unlike similar writers who mix genre with magic realism (murakami, lethem, etc), auster grounds his books equally in experimentalism and humanism. all of his books, even his strangest, have sympathy for the people in the novel. leviathan is probably the biggest mix of the two. not as emotional as auster's new stuff, and not as strange as city of glass, its a good mix of the bizarre and the heart-warming. the story is absolutely engrossing, and the complex twists and turns in the narrative are just as compelling as the philosophical ideas it ambiguously throws at the reader. aside from all of this, the ending was perfect. highly recommended.