To the uninitiated, Thomas Pynchon’sV. seems to defy comprehension with its open-ended and fragmented narrative, huge cast of characters (some 150 of them), and wide range of often obscure references. J. Kerry Grant’sCompanion to “V.”takes us through the novel chapter by chapter, breaking through its daunting surface by summarizing events and clarifying Pynchon’s many allusions. TheCompaniondraws extensively from existing critical and explicative work onV.to suggest the range of interpretations that the novel can support.The hundreds of notes that comprise theCompanionare keyed to the three most widely cited editions ofV.Most notes are interpretive, but some also provide historical and cultural contexts or help to resurrect other nuances of meaning. Because it does not constitute a particular “reading” of, or “take” on, the novel, theCompanionwill appeal to a wide range of users. Rather than attempting to make final sense of the novel, theCompanionexposes and demystifies Pynchon’s intent to play with our conventional attitudes about fiction.