A Confederacy of Dunces

Contributed by Griffin, gr. 12, Jan. 2019

A Confederacy of Dunces is an exceptionally clever and humorous novel which tracks a large cast of characters, including the absurdly obnoxious and obese Ignatius J. Reilly. I enjoyed the book for its dry humour and clever plotlines, even if it did seem to drag a little at times.

The plot follows several inhabitants of 1960s New Orleans, mainly focusing on Ignatius as he indignantly embarks on a string of political misadventures. The extensive web of characters and plotlines, while at first seemingly unrelated, all come together for a glorious and hilarious finale. Although I found the novel to be extremely funny and entertaining, it did feel as though it started to slow down significantly near the middle. It more than makes up for this, however, with clever comedy and unique characters.

I would recommend this book to grades 9-12, as there is nothing overly offensive or inappropriate in its content. A Confederacy of Dunces would make a great read for anybody looking for a longer book with unique characters and dry, ironic sense of humour.