I know I'm very lucky. We only tackle the tough books, but we can count on each other to do the reading and discussing and learning. We take the book in sections and discuss as we read. I hope we always keep it going.

I read this in a Zoom book club with two good friends; I probably would not have finished it on my own. I do remember feeling as you describe at the end of Book 2. Book 4 was tough to read; we split it into 2 parts, and I think we did the same with Book 5.

After finishing it, I have to say the journey was rewarded, and the discussion it prompted made it what it was for me. I would try to find others to read the book with you. In the end, Bolano finds a good deal to say about so many themes: the banality of evil, what humans owe each other, misogyny, literature, and much more.

As a former English teacher, I can guarantee many American students struggle with the opening pages. I found if it is read aloud, it can more easily be understood. Nick, the narrator, it trying to establish who he is in a type of conversation with the reader; maybe that's why it reads easier aloud. You might consider an audiobook for this section or listen to someone who feels comfortable with the language and, importantly, the punctuation. Once you get past the first few pages, the writing gets easier. I truly believe this novel deserves your attention as it depicts so much about America almost 100 years ago while proving that in many ways those aspects haven't changed.

The Collected Works of William Shakespeare - he has it all.