Book synopsis: 
 Archibald Isaac Ferguson is born on the 3rd of March 1947 in New Jersey. Only Ferguson is four different boys and these four boys are all the same. Archie's life takes four different paths at the moment he draws his first breath, as the exploration of the road not taken becomes an epic story of possibilities, destiny and chance revolving around one boy who lives, loves, learns and exists in four different lives. How would your life be now if some moments happened differently? 
 Many critics in popular literary journals and newspapers I found online begin their reviews of 4 3 2 1 by comparing it to Paul Auster's previous novels. Now, 4 3 2 1 is my first experience with Auster's writing, but the point most of these reviews are trying to make is that the one noteworthy difference between his latest novel and Auster's previous work is the size. Consequently, I am led to believe that critics have been doubtful about Paul Auster's ability to masterfully tackle an 860 page story given that his famous New York trilogy is in its entirety shorter than his most recent publication. As expected, a book of this size does not come without its shortcomings. I may not be a professional writer but I very well remember the one rule of thumb my teachers and professors have instilled in me through the school years up until now as I'm working through my Master thesis, and which comes down to one word: parsimony. When you want to say something that can be said with three words instead of ten opt for the simpler choice. Paul Auster has written 4 3 2 1 with anything but parsimony in his mind. 
 With paragraphs at times the length of 1.5 pages and sentences that as a rule avoid full stops until they become a necessity, Paul Auster writes four intimate stories sprinkled with autobiographical elements that become the life of Archie Ferguson. As in Jeffrey Eugenides' Pulitzer winning novel, Middlesex, the story of Archie begins two generations back. His paternal grandfather...continued