First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

Milwaukee 1932, the Great Depression going full blast, repeal of Prohibition just around the corner, Al Capone in the federal pen, the private investigation business shifting from labor-management relations to the more domestic kind. Hicks McTaggard, a onetime strikebreaker turned private eye, thinks he’s found job security until he gets sent out on what should be a routine case, locating and bringing back the heiress of a Wisconsin cheese fortune who’s taken a mind to go wandering. Before he knows it, he’s been shanghaied into a transoceanic liner, ending up eventually in Hungary where there’s no shoreline, a language from some other planet, and enough pastry to see any cop well into retirement – and of course no sign of the runaway heiress he’s supposed to be chasing. By the time Hicks catches up with her he will find himself also entangled with Nazis, Soviet agents, British counterspies, swing musicians, practitioners of the paranormal, outlaw motorcyclists, and the troubles that come with each of them, none of which Hicks is qualified, forget about being paid, to deal with. Surrounded by history he has no grasp on and can’t see his way around in or out of, the only bright side for Hicks is it’s the dawn of the Big Band Era and as it happens he’s a pretty good dancer. Whether this will be enough to allow him somehow to Lindy-hop his way back again to Milwaukee and the normal world, which may no longer exist, is another question.

It’s the end of the workweek—yay! Finally, the weekend is here. I’m glad that we all made it through another week. I hope that, despite the challenges, you were able to end it on a high note. After a spell of damp days, the stifling heat is back here in the Philippines, although the incoming Christmas season breeze is beginning to make its presence felt. Still, the heat has returned with a vengeance. There are also intermittent rains throughout the day, so it’s no surprise that several people are feeling under the weather. Anyway, since it’s Friday, it’s time to dress down and let your hair down—it’s time to dive into the weekend! I hope you spend it wisely, whether resting, spending time with your family, or pursuing your passions. With that, I hope everyone is doing well—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Wishing you all a great weekend ahead.

With the workweek coming to a close, it’s time for a fresh First Impression Friday update. Over the years, this blogging meme has become an essential part of my weekly book blogging routine. It provides a great opportunity to take a breather while reflecting on my current read. These updates also serve as springboards for my eventual book reviews. This month, I’ve been focusing on books that are part of my reading challenges. Following ventures into Asian and European literature, I have now turned my attention to books written by American—both North and South—and African writers. My current read, Thomas Pynchon’s Shadow Ticket, however, is not part of any of my reading challenges. Nevertheless, it’s a book I’ve been looking forward to ever since I learned about its release midway through the year.

It was through must-read lists that I first encountered the American writer. He and his works frequently appear on these lists, naturally piquing my interest. However, it was his reputation—one that precedes his name—that made me more intrigued. I learned that he has quite a reputation for being a reclusive and elusive presence in literary circles, which explains his lack of public appearances. My first venture into his oeuvre was Gravity’s Rainbow, often considered his magnum opus. Since reading it early in the pandemic, I’ve made it a point to explore more of his work. I even included The Crying of Lot 49 in my 2025 Beat the Backlist Challenge, although I inadvertently read Inherent Vice first. This makes Shadow Ticket the third Pynchon novel I’ve read.

Pynchon’s first novel in over a decade—and his ninth overall—Shadow Ticket transports readers to the 1930s. At the heart of the novel is Hicks McTaggart, a private detective working for Unamalgamated Ops in Milwaukee. Immediately, I was reminded of Inherent Vice and how different it is from Gravity’s Rainbow. Apparently, Pynchon’s last three novels are noir detective thrillers. I was initially surprised by this realization, as Inherent Vice and Gravity’s Rainbow are worlds apart. Nevertheless, I’m excited to experience another dimension of Pynchon’s storytelling and prose. As a private detective, Hicks deals with people from all walks of life. He’s currently caught between a conflict involving the federal government and the mafia, while also dodging attempts on his own life after offending a bootlegger.

The novel’s main action was when Hicks was assigned to track down a missing woman—Daphne Airmont, a twenty-something daughter of Bruno Airmont. Bruno built his fortune on cheese, earning him the moniker “the Al Capone of Cheese,” while Daphne is fondly called the “Cheese Princess.” Hicks has very little to go on. Daphne was about to marry a jazz clarinetist named Hop Wingdale. Normally, Hicks would have avoided such a case, but a previous encounter with Daphne prompts him to accept the assignment—he once helped her escape a mad therapist via motorboat. As Hicks digs deeper, more people become entangled in the case. As always, I can expect nothing less than an eventful read from Pynchon, with Shadow Ticket shaping up to be a pseudo-adventure.

Will Hicks be able to locate Daphne? If he does, how will he proceed. The digger he immerses himself into the case, more grim facts start to surface. Bruno himself goes missing. The 1930s setting also raises other questions. I’m curious to see how Pynchon weaves these elements together. I’m halfway through the book, and it seems I’m in for even more adventure—or perhaps misadventure. I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds. How about you, fellow reader? What book (or books) are you reading this weekend? I hope you’re enjoying your current read. Happy weekend!