A maximalist novel reminds me a bit of brutalist architecture. I'm the right place and time, there could be nothing more impressive and imposing, but you need t

A maximalist novel reminds me a bit of brutalist architecture. I'm the right place and time, there could be nothing more impressive and imposing, but you need to be pretty full of yourself to think that is worth putting your reader through something like that. On that note, the ideas and the payoff had better be worth it. Otherwise, If you don't have the content to warrant it, you're abusing your reader. A maximalist novel is actually laziness in some ways (see the Mark Twain line about writing a long letter). When I read the quotes from Mount Chicago, I'm rolling my eyes. They come across as trite, reheated leftovers, served in a Michelin star package. Likely these are cherry picked examples, but they are part of the author's published book. He needs to own them. I will say, the article is worth reading, or at least skimming, for the Seinfeld quote at the end alone. It may have singlehandedly changed my mind about some aspects of modern comedy.