Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino is the story of many different cities of the world seen through the eyes of explorer Marco Polo, and told to the emperor Kublai Khan. It is a lyrical novel filled with vivid descriptions of cities that no longer exist, or perhaps never existed. All of these cities are magical in some way, and they tantalize the reader with their beauty and creativity. For example, Calvino writes, "When you have forded the river, when you have crossed the mountain pass, you suddenly find before you the city of Moriana, its alabaster gates transparent in the sunlight, its coral columns supporting pediments encrusted with serpentine" (Calvino 105). The cities are fantastic, and each one has some unique quality. This keeps the reader constantly interested in what Polo will describe yet, and what will be the most fantastic city of all.
This novel is easy to read because it is broken down into so many small chapters, and because the writing is so lyrical and the cities are so unusual. It is written in a style that makes it seem as if it is very old and ancient, although it was actually written in the 1970s. It is interesting that descriptions of items such as plumbing and roof tiles can be captivating, but they are, and that is only one of the things that makes this book so unusual. It covers a subject that might not seem to interest many readers, and yet, it is hard to put it down once you begin to read it. This is the mark of a good writer, and it is the mark of a well-written book, as well. This interesting book is very well written, and the vivid descriptions are just part of that. The conversations between Kublai Khan and Polo are interesting and add depth to the book, giving it a sense of real history, rather than the fantasy it really is. It makes the reader want to travel the world, see those incredible cities themselves, and then report back about their adventures, just as Polo does in this novel.
References
Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities. New York: Harcourt, 1978.
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