Kehlmann engraves the scar of Arthur’s desertion on each of his now-grown sons, pushing readers toward an understanding of their predicament. We never find out too much about these books they aren’t the point. Arthur, moved by the experience, makes a quick decision: He leaves his children with only the scantest of farewells and moves to another continent, where he writes several widely well-received novels. The hypnotist, as it turns out, is a truth-teller he brings the reluctant, cynical Arthur up on stage and proceeds to confront him with his mediocrity, challenging him to do something about it. Arthur, a writer who’s stalled in his career, takes his children from different unsuccessful marriages to a world-famous hypnotist’s show. The novel begins with a magic act, of sorts. So what of the book whose lack of a clear conclusion or gratification becomes clearer throughout, which becomes, in a sense, the message? Daniel Kehlmann’s “F” is such a book, and while a story that begins with a father’s desertion of his family and then moves on to examine the lives of the deserted children might be expected to be dolorous, possibly even hollow, Kehlmann offers a rich, absorbing and well-orchestrated narrative. Endings - in books, movies, TV series - that aren’t as sharp as expected may spark dissatisfaction. The persistence of this part of narrative has built up a cultural dependence. The payoff, the gratification, the reaction that follows the action, the gun introduced in Act I that goes off in Act III.
Since the days of Greek tragedy, endings have acquired a hallowed status.
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