So, When I started this blog, I intended to post a review everyday for the first two weeks. For the most part, I've accomplished this, but now it's time to loosen up the schedule a little bit.
From here on out, you guys are definitely going to get one post a week, probably on Mondays. More than that will depend on what's happening in my life otherwise.
But in the meanwhile I wanted to ask my readers about what they like and don't like, so I can give you more of the good stuff. So I was wondering: how do you feel about the length of my posts? Would you like to see longer and more in-depth reviews, or do you like them better short and sweet? Should I open up the reviews a little more? I read quite a bit of Graphic Novels and such; would you guys like to see reviews of those as well, or should I just stick to more traditional books? Do you have a book you would particularly like to see a review on? Sometimes I see news about various authors, and sometimes I want to comment on it, and put my two cents in, would that kind of stuff appeal to you?
Feel free to answer any of the above questions, and if you have any other ideas, they are definitely welcome.
Thanks for reading guys, I hope to continue to inform and entertain you, and that we'll have lots of discussions and stuff in the future.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty 80/100
I never managed to get into the movie, very much. I'd half watch a scene or two, and then move on. The gross out factor was a bit strong, and I admit, the rumors of people running screaming from the theater, and becoming violently ill and so on did nothing to encourage me.
Without the intrusive visuals, however, this is an excellent, creepy and psychological story. The pacing is sharp, I don't remember being bored for a single page. I read it in one sitting, staying up way later than I should have. The really interesting part of this story is how long it is able to keep you guessing.
At every point along the way, it offers other explanations for what is going on with the possibly possessed little girl, from the physiological and psychological to the religious or paranormal. the reader is given plenty of options as to how they want to interpret the events. This makes it all the more upsetting, as you're never really sure what is going on.
Without the intrusive visuals, however, this is an excellent, creepy and psychological story. The pacing is sharp, I don't remember being bored for a single page. I read it in one sitting, staying up way later than I should have. The really interesting part of this story is how long it is able to keep you guessing.
At every point along the way, it offers other explanations for what is going on with the possibly possessed little girl, from the physiological and psychological to the religious or paranormal. the reader is given plenty of options as to how they want to interpret the events. This makes it all the more upsetting, as you're never really sure what is going on.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Eragon by Christoper Paolini 60/100
The first word that comes to mind when thinking about this book is "Meh." It wasn't terrible, and I really see where a young adult could read it, and find it immensely enjoyable; the prose is accessible, the pacing is decent, and the characters are at least superficially likable. There's a good deal of drama, mystery and and strangeness... If you haven't read a fantasy book put out in the last 50 years.
If you have, you see pretty much every turn of the plot coming from a mile away. Paolini, unfortunately doesn't create anything new with his world, instead giving us a synthesis of all the old fantasy mainstays.
I will give him credit though; he does a decent job of cleaning them up, and packaging them for a new generation, and for younger readers who might be put off by the writing style and mature themes that run throughout most adult fantasy novels. If you haven't experienced much of the fantasy genre, or if you know a dragon loving kid, This is just the book you want. More experienced fantasy readers, however, won't find much to hold their attention
If you have, you see pretty much every turn of the plot coming from a mile away. Paolini, unfortunately doesn't create anything new with his world, instead giving us a synthesis of all the old fantasy mainstays.
I will give him credit though; he does a decent job of cleaning them up, and packaging them for a new generation, and for younger readers who might be put off by the writing style and mature themes that run throughout most adult fantasy novels. If you haven't experienced much of the fantasy genre, or if you know a dragon loving kid, This is just the book you want. More experienced fantasy readers, however, won't find much to hold their attention
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Cell by Stephen King 25/100
Cell phone zombies? Really? These were my thoughts on picking up this book, but being a more or less confirmed King fan, I felt obliged to read it anyways. That's what good fans do; they stick with you through the bad and the good.
To be fair, it wasn't *awful*... it was just missing something. There were plenty of places to go with this premise, and you see King approaching them, and then scuttling away, repeatedly. About halfway through the book, the zombies themselves become really interesting, and more horrifying. I felt there was a lot more ground to be covered and lots more scares to be gotten out of them, but the author simply didn't want to take the time.
SPOILER ALERT: (I usually try really hard to keep any spoilers out of these reviews but this was so bad, I really can't let it pass without comment.)The ending was a crappy Lady or Tiger thing, but by then I just didn't care enough to even begin to speculate. Quite frankly, after the crushing disappointment that a certain other King book has brought me, my reaction may be more about that other book than this one. /SPOILER
This is a good light read, but doesn't stack up at all against his great horror epics. This same book by another author would have been acceptable, but we know that Mr. King is capable of so much more.
To be fair, it wasn't *awful*... it was just missing something. There were plenty of places to go with this premise, and you see King approaching them, and then scuttling away, repeatedly. About halfway through the book, the zombies themselves become really interesting, and more horrifying. I felt there was a lot more ground to be covered and lots more scares to be gotten out of them, but the author simply didn't want to take the time.
SPOILER ALERT: (I usually try really hard to keep any spoilers out of these reviews but this was so bad, I really can't let it pass without comment.)The ending was a crappy Lady or Tiger thing, but by then I just didn't care enough to even begin to speculate. Quite frankly, after the crushing disappointment that a certain other King book has brought me, my reaction may be more about that other book than this one. /SPOILER
This is a good light read, but doesn't stack up at all against his great horror epics. This same book by another author would have been acceptable, but we know that Mr. King is capable of so much more.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Rose Madder by Stephen King 89/100
I really feel that this is one of King's most overlooked works. Especially for someone who's read dang near everything the man has written, this gives King fans the feel of one of Uncle Stevie's works... except not. Face it, when you read a great deal of any author you start to understand the way their mind works, and plots can become predictable. King steps outside the world you expect him to inhabit, while still remaining firmly in it somehow. There are references to other novels, but the places the plot head are not something you expect from one of the author's works. Instead he goes somewhere strange, unpredictable, and surreal, and tense.
I've seen quite a few bad reviews of this book, dismissing it as too strange, or running from surreal into merely laughable, but I think it may just be that it was simply not what his fans were expecting from him, which is not a bad thing by any means. Get outside of your expectations of King's work, be willing to indulge a different flavor of strange than he usually serves you and you might just find yourself liking this underrated work.
I've seen quite a few bad reviews of this book, dismissing it as too strange, or running from surreal into merely laughable, but I think it may just be that it was simply not what his fans were expecting from him, which is not a bad thing by any means. Get outside of your expectations of King's work, be willing to indulge a different flavor of strange than he usually serves you and you might just find yourself liking this underrated work.
Focault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco 77/100
I'm going to be totally upfront here. I read this book, but I don't really feel like I understood it at all. I don't know if this is the fault of the author, the translation, or my own lack of intelligence. While there are parts of the book that I found fascinating, especially the parts dealing with Voodoo, I read for long stretches of time with absolutely no clue just what the hell was going on. I found it hard to parse the events often, and found myself frequently rereading pages, and feeling like I missed something.
But since the book has such a reputation for greatness, and the parts of it where I knew what was going on were really interesting, I can't wholly condemn this book. But I didn't understand it well enough to give a warm recommendation, either. If you are the kind of person who enjoys being challenged by a book, by all means, read it. But if you're just looking for a little entertainment, then this is definitely not for you.
But since the book has such a reputation for greatness, and the parts of it where I knew what was going on were really interesting, I can't wholly condemn this book. But I didn't understand it well enough to give a warm recommendation, either. If you are the kind of person who enjoys being challenged by a book, by all means, read it. But if you're just looking for a little entertainment, then this is definitely not for you.
Whoops!
I know, for the first 14 days of this blog, I said I would make a post every day, and this is the second time I've failed to live up to that. But I have a very very good reason today: I'm reading the Hunger Games, and I'm afraid they've pulled me in, and I just plain forgot the time. Sorry 'bout that folks. Of course that means today will be another double post day, so if you like double post days, well you're in luck.
Thanks for you patience guys, and I hope you enjoy today's posts!
Thanks for you patience guys, and I hope you enjoy today's posts!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Twits 10/100
After having read some of Dahl's other works recently, I found this to be the bottom of the barrel. The mean spirited Twits like to mess with each other, and you spend the first half of the book solely in the company of these thoroughly awful people. Some of the tricks they play on each other are slightly funny, but none of it is as clever as we know Dahl can be.
Additionally, the the monkeys, and their friend, the bird, don't start playing any kind of important role until the book is almost over. You spend the first half of the book wondering just why the heck we're being told about these people. When the monkeys finally pull it together enough to get one over on the twits, their punishment is simultaneously overly gruesome and tamely unsatisfying. I guess this book is good for giving a young reader a giggle or two, but it lacks in charm or educational aspects, especially when compared to classics like Matilda or The Witches. Keep away from this one, guys, but a lot of Dahl's other stuff is really good.
Additionally, the the monkeys, and their friend, the bird, don't start playing any kind of important role until the book is almost over. You spend the first half of the book wondering just why the heck we're being told about these people. When the monkeys finally pull it together enough to get one over on the twits, their punishment is simultaneously overly gruesome and tamely unsatisfying. I guess this book is good for giving a young reader a giggle or two, but it lacks in charm or educational aspects, especially when compared to classics like Matilda or The Witches. Keep away from this one, guys, but a lot of Dahl's other stuff is really good.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman 95/100
Fans of the movie will be rewarded by reading this book, even the fans who know every line of the movie by heart. Make that 'especially' the fans who know every line by heart.
There are plenty of poetic speeches and heartfelt cooing of sweet nothings, for sure, but there's so much more. As a fan of the movie, since I was a small child, I was delighted when I discovered what new depths of information it contained about some of my most beloved fictional characters. I learned the details of Inigo's father's death, and just how Fezzik became, as Vizini found him, "unemployed, in Greenland". There are tons of things that the movie only had the time to hint at, which the book explains in full detail.
Included with this, are the author's notes which come as a result of "abridging" the earlier work, which are funny, poignant and insightful. These little asides elevate the fantasy story of sword and adventure to a meditation on life, fairness, and growing up.
There are plenty of poetic speeches and heartfelt cooing of sweet nothings, for sure, but there's so much more. As a fan of the movie, since I was a small child, I was delighted when I discovered what new depths of information it contained about some of my most beloved fictional characters. I learned the details of Inigo's father's death, and just how Fezzik became, as Vizini found him, "unemployed, in Greenland". There are tons of things that the movie only had the time to hint at, which the book explains in full detail.
Included with this, are the author's notes which come as a result of "abridging" the earlier work, which are funny, poignant and insightful. These little asides elevate the fantasy story of sword and adventure to a meditation on life, fairness, and growing up.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Neuromancer by William Gibson 90/100
This is one of those few books, that, after having read it, I felt compelled to research it. This work is considered one of the founding texts of the cyberpunk movement. As you read it, consider that it was written in 1984, years before the use of the internet was common outside of military/industrial use. Film fans will recognize the use of the word "matrix", when describing the cyberspace VR kind of environment that the main character enjoys as his play ground. There are other similar themes such as Zion, badass women in leather, and difficulty telling what's real.
"But is it any good?" It is immensely entertaining to a person who has seen the result of this book's influence in film, and some argue, in real life (the early cyberpunk movement may have been influential in naming, and possibly even shaping, many of the technologies we are so familiar with today). But more than that, it is a challenging, fast paced novel, with dense atmosphere, and cool characters.
I would happily recommend this book solely on the basis of the literary history it has created, It's just happy luck that it happens to tell a good story. The only thing stopping me from giving it marks is the fact that it is very difficult to follow in places, with the narrative hopping between real and imaginary. A valid literary device, certainly, but not for everyone.
"But is it any good?" It is immensely entertaining to a person who has seen the result of this book's influence in film, and some argue, in real life (the early cyberpunk movement may have been influential in naming, and possibly even shaping, many of the technologies we are so familiar with today). But more than that, it is a challenging, fast paced novel, with dense atmosphere, and cool characters.
I would happily recommend this book solely on the basis of the literary history it has created, It's just happy luck that it happens to tell a good story. The only thing stopping me from giving it marks is the fact that it is very difficult to follow in places, with the narrative hopping between real and imaginary. A valid literary device, certainly, but not for everyone.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Glamorama by Brett Easton Ellis 80/100
An intensely strange, and surreal novel, where the author really steps up his game. Elements of my two previous favorites of his; American Psycho, and The Informers, are combined to delightful effect in this story. Though Ellis is relying on his usual rich, nihilistic, drug and sex inundated characters, it all seems new.
This is definitely a different take on the lifestyle, with more dramatic consequences of the character's actions. There is some really tense and uncomfortable action scenes, and the main character really has some ethical quandaries. The symbolism is writ much larger, the allusions are bigger and more obvious, though some of it is a little hard to puzzle out.
If you've read some of Ellis's other works, and found yourself being bored by an endless string of events that didn't seem to add up to anything, this book If at first it seems like a rehash, wait it out until the second half. You won't be able to put it down, trying desperately to figure out just what the hell is going on. The resolution left a bit to be desired, as everything isn't wrapped up neatly, and many questions are left unanswered.
This adds to the book's mystery, however. It's not a straightforward story, but a parable. The characters and situations are meant to be symbolic representations of things in our culture, and as such, you can't interpret everything in the novel literally.
All in all, it was quite worthwhile and I enjoyed it profoundly
This is definitely a different take on the lifestyle, with more dramatic consequences of the character's actions. There is some really tense and uncomfortable action scenes, and the main character really has some ethical quandaries. The symbolism is writ much larger, the allusions are bigger and more obvious, though some of it is a little hard to puzzle out.
If you've read some of Ellis's other works, and found yourself being bored by an endless string of events that didn't seem to add up to anything, this book If at first it seems like a rehash, wait it out until the second half. You won't be able to put it down, trying desperately to figure out just what the hell is going on. The resolution left a bit to be desired, as everything isn't wrapped up neatly, and many questions are left unanswered.
This adds to the book's mystery, however. It's not a straightforward story, but a parable. The characters and situations are meant to be symbolic representations of things in our culture, and as such, you can't interpret everything in the novel literally.
All in all, it was quite worthwhile and I enjoyed it profoundly
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Dracula Brahm Stoker 60/100
This is a book to which fame has done a serious disservice. If I didn't already know about vampires, this book would have been pretty scary, and very suspenseful. But since the book relies on the "Oh, no! This is so strange! What on earth is going on?" angle for most of it's length, the suspense is non-existent to a modern audience, who knows full well what is going on. Also, the story has been told and retold so many times that even a casual vampire fan probably knows 90% of what is going to happen here.
I hate this, when this happens. Our culture is so fond of things like homage and pastiche that it can really ruin things for people who haven't experienced them yet. For instance: Citizen Kane. Do you know how many homages to Citizen Kane I'd seen before I actually saw the movie? Like, a dozen. I knew before I got home from the video rental place the answer to the mystery the movie was trying to solve. I knew quite a bit about Kane's character, and could hum along with the musical number "The Charlie Kane Song", having seen that episode of The Simpsons more times than I can count. Dracula was a lot like my experience with Citizen Kane.
Admittedly there are also some parts of the book I just flat out didn't care for. Overt religiosity is one thing, but everything was about god with these people. I don't think you can find an entire page without that word on it somewhere. Occasionally the characters are just too Victorian, worried about propriety and such when there's a bloodthirsty monster on the loose, and it's frustrating.
Having said that, If you manage to just forget what vampires are, and roll with the book; accepting it's weird little quirks from the time period, it's really very well done. The storytelling was good, the pace was surprisingly brisk for a novel of that time, and the descriptive passages were properly chilling.
Also, anyone interested from a historical point of view will be able to see some of the basis of the myth. Comparing it to some of the more modern vampire stories is really interesting.
I want to stress, this is not a bad book at all; it's just that it's the basis of many of the vampire cliches that have been overused. If you love vampires or Victorian fiction, then by all means, read it. Just don't expect to find anything new.
I hate this, when this happens. Our culture is so fond of things like homage and pastiche that it can really ruin things for people who haven't experienced them yet. For instance: Citizen Kane. Do you know how many homages to Citizen Kane I'd seen before I actually saw the movie? Like, a dozen. I knew before I got home from the video rental place the answer to the mystery the movie was trying to solve. I knew quite a bit about Kane's character, and could hum along with the musical number "The Charlie Kane Song", having seen that episode of The Simpsons more times than I can count. Dracula was a lot like my experience with Citizen Kane.
Admittedly there are also some parts of the book I just flat out didn't care for. Overt religiosity is one thing, but everything was about god with these people. I don't think you can find an entire page without that word on it somewhere. Occasionally the characters are just too Victorian, worried about propriety and such when there's a bloodthirsty monster on the loose, and it's frustrating.
Having said that, If you manage to just forget what vampires are, and roll with the book; accepting it's weird little quirks from the time period, it's really very well done. The storytelling was good, the pace was surprisingly brisk for a novel of that time, and the descriptive passages were properly chilling.
Also, anyone interested from a historical point of view will be able to see some of the basis of the myth. Comparing it to some of the more modern vampire stories is really interesting.
I want to stress, this is not a bad book at all; it's just that it's the basis of many of the vampire cliches that have been overused. If you love vampires or Victorian fiction, then by all means, read it. Just don't expect to find anything new.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Catch 22 75/100
I really didn't know what to make of this book at first, the crazy chronological shifts and outlandish characters really threw me for a loop. For the first half of the book, the kind of humor the author was employing went right over my head.
As I went on, though I finally started to get it. I remained torn between laughing at what was going on, and being pretty horrified about the world that the characters inhabited. However, the book seemed to be encouraging me to laugh, so laugh I did.
I would have given this a much higher score, if it weren't for the book's inaccessibility. It's just difficult for some people to keep up with that kind of writing, and while I appreciate the effect, and respect the techniques used, it just didn't do it for me in some places.
So, mostly a good book. Definitely worth reading,
As I went on, though I finally started to get it. I remained torn between laughing at what was going on, and being pretty horrified about the world that the characters inhabited. However, the book seemed to be encouraging me to laugh, so laugh I did.
I would have given this a much higher score, if it weren't for the book's inaccessibility. It's just difficult for some people to keep up with that kind of writing, and while I appreciate the effect, and respect the techniques used, it just didn't do it for me in some places.
So, mostly a good book. Definitely worth reading,
The Mammoth Hunters.10/100
Yeah, this book gets a lower score than TWILIGHT. And yes, I know I haven't reviewed the other books in the series yet, but this one really stuck out. The fact of the matter is, the first two books were awesome. Which is precisely why this one got as low of a score as it did, my expectations were much higher.
Up until this point, this series was a wonderful story of a woman who was learning to think for herself. Sure, things got a little dicey at the end of the second book when Jondalar showed up, and Ayla began to obsess about every little thought that might be going through his head. But I figured after that little mishap, they would start to learn from their mistakes. But in this book, both of the characters spend the whole time exhibiting the emotional maturity of twelve year olds. It was frustrating watching them time and time again fail to resolve their differences because of a minor misunderstanding, knowing full well that they have come from different places with different traditions and customs.
I spent the entire book wanting to slap the crap out of both of them, while screaming "just talk to each other already!!" Most of the time, I really felt like both characters were purposefully taking what the other one was doing the wrong way. After a while, they both seem really petty, manipulative, and self pitying. Seeing Ayla act like this, after watching her being so strong and independent for two books was a really hard pill to swallow.
If the rest of the series is the same, (I'm not slogging through another 800 pages of this, I don't have the time or inclination) then I see why it's called "Earth's CHILDREN"
Up until this point, this series was a wonderful story of a woman who was learning to think for herself. Sure, things got a little dicey at the end of the second book when Jondalar showed up, and Ayla began to obsess about every little thought that might be going through his head. But I figured after that little mishap, they would start to learn from their mistakes. But in this book, both of the characters spend the whole time exhibiting the emotional maturity of twelve year olds. It was frustrating watching them time and time again fail to resolve their differences because of a minor misunderstanding, knowing full well that they have come from different places with different traditions and customs.
I spent the entire book wanting to slap the crap out of both of them, while screaming "just talk to each other already!!" Most of the time, I really felt like both characters were purposefully taking what the other one was doing the wrong way. After a while, they both seem really petty, manipulative, and self pitying. Seeing Ayla act like this, after watching her being so strong and independent for two books was a really hard pill to swallow.
If the rest of the series is the same, (I'm not slogging through another 800 pages of this, I don't have the time or inclination) then I see why it's called "Earth's CHILDREN"
SUPER DOUBLE POST!!
Blogger was down last night when I wanted to post, so enjoy your super-extra-special double post day!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Twlight book 1 20/100
This book has caused a lot of fuss both by people who love it and others who hate it. I read it to find out what the big deal is, and the answer is: not much, really. I was honestly expecting it to be awful. Like, "My Immortal" awful. It wasn't, but that doesn't mean it's anything to get really excited about. I found the story to be reasonably interesting (once it finally got going, which took forever), but the characterizations to be shallow. The main character's obsession with her vampire lover was hard to fathom and tedious to read about. For much of the beginning of the novel, nothing really important happens, and it really tends to drag on and on, but not really any worse than some of the supermarket bodice rippers I've skimmed. (Okay, I've read ONE, but that's all, I promise!)
I really didn't like the emphasis that was put on the characters' physical appearance, as though that was all that was needed to make this an epic love story. You really don't get any idea why they are attracted to each other; especially to the degree presented. Their interests aren't really discussed, and you don't see where there is any common ground. They (or rather, the author) both just 'decided' that they were in love for some reason, despite having nothing in common, and nothing to really pull them together.
Neither of the characters was flawed enough to seem real, and the major flaws they did have are not treated as such. Both characters are deeply obsessive, creepily so, and rather than making this a book about obsession and mental illness, these weaknesses are lauded, as though they were just the heighth of romance. Rather than treating her characters as people, for the author they are props, which she moves around and makes do things. Outside of their love for each other, Edward and Bella have no real motivations, and thus are stale and uninteresting.
It was an okay way to pass a few boring evenings, but nothing more.
I really didn't like the emphasis that was put on the characters' physical appearance, as though that was all that was needed to make this an epic love story. You really don't get any idea why they are attracted to each other; especially to the degree presented. Their interests aren't really discussed, and you don't see where there is any common ground. They (or rather, the author) both just 'decided' that they were in love for some reason, despite having nothing in common, and nothing to really pull them together.
Neither of the characters was flawed enough to seem real, and the major flaws they did have are not treated as such. Both characters are deeply obsessive, creepily so, and rather than making this a book about obsession and mental illness, these weaknesses are lauded, as though they were just the heighth of romance. Rather than treating her characters as people, for the author they are props, which she moves around and makes do things. Outside of their love for each other, Edward and Bella have no real motivations, and thus are stale and uninteresting.
It was an okay way to pass a few boring evenings, but nothing more.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Last Unicorn 100/100
This book has the most heartrendingly lyrical prose I have ever read. This is because the author really uses the language, and to sometimes devastatingly good effect. There are chapters that routinely make me weep.
Behind a fairy story, you will also find substantial themes of loss, happiness and immortality. The book demands a lot of the reader, asking them questions like "Can beauty be permanent?", "Does joy come from something external?", "Is time a real thing?" and then happily cavorts off, distracting you with silly anachronisms and jests.
It is at the same time the pinnacle of the fantasy genre, and a lampoon of it. In fact, this book wears so many hats at once, that it amazes me that it is able to do so with such grace, while, to my mind, still being a bonafide work of art.
Behind a fairy story, you will also find substantial themes of loss, happiness and immortality. The book demands a lot of the reader, asking them questions like "Can beauty be permanent?", "Does joy come from something external?", "Is time a real thing?" and then happily cavorts off, distracting you with silly anachronisms and jests.
It is at the same time the pinnacle of the fantasy genre, and a lampoon of it. In fact, this book wears so many hats at once, that it amazes me that it is able to do so with such grace, while, to my mind, still being a bonafide work of art.
Monday, May 9, 2011
House of Leaves 60/100
Wow. This book is incredibly strange, but if you stick with it, it has great rewards. This isn't a book, its' an EXPERIENCE. While trying to follow the overlapping narratives, puzzling out the notes, and making sure your book is oriented the right way, you will be taken on a many layered journey.
This is a hard review to write however, as telling very much about the plot or characters will rob you of the joy of puzzling it out for yourself. All I can tell you is, look for hidden codes, don't be afraid to back track, and read every word you can. It will be worth it.
Did I mention this book is scary? There are dozens of ways it can freak you out. Even if you're reading it outside, and in broad daylight, you might find yourself afraid to look over your shoulder...
This is a hard review to write however, as telling very much about the plot or characters will rob you of the joy of puzzling it out for yourself. All I can tell you is, look for hidden codes, don't be afraid to back track, and read every word you can. It will be worth it.
Did I mention this book is scary? There are dozens of ways it can freak you out. Even if you're reading it outside, and in broad daylight, you might find yourself afraid to look over your shoulder...
Fahrenheit 451 85/100
This is one of those intimidating reviews to write: A book so well known, and so controversial that the amount of type about the book is more than equal to the work itself, fifty times over. I will never be able to do the amount of research a proper "full" review of such a work, which has effected and inspired and been hated by and treated with stylish disdain by many generations of readers. I don't know exactly what all the symbols mean, nor do I think I care to. I'm not here to get into a debate about "what the author meant" or all the relevant themes, though I do think the book is worthy of such debates. I can only tell you what <i>I</i> thought of the book, what my personal opinion was.
In short, I loved it. I've always been a "book person" and a book about books, where books were a thing to be saved and cherished and loved was very appealing to me. Bradbury's prose and pacing are not always my personal cup of tea, but I respect it as a relic of the era when it was written, and don't blame the author for it at all.
In this case, the sometimes dated writing style doesn't get in the way of the story at all. The pace is fluent, I find the alternating scenes of philosophical exposition, external action, and internal monologue to be well balanced and interesting. I liked the book's message, such as I perceived it, and found the ideas enough to be worth discussing with friends over late night pots of coffee.
I do think that the fact that it has generated such debate alone makes it worthy of the title of Great Art, because isn't that what Great Art is meant to do, make you think, and argue and see things a little differently than you did before?
If you haven't read this book, read it now. I'm not promising you will fall in love with it, as it can be difficult in places, and vague in others, and in many ways not satisfactory. However, one thing I can promise is that it will make you think, and ask questions, and that's much more important than simply being entertained.
In short, I loved it. I've always been a "book person" and a book about books, where books were a thing to be saved and cherished and loved was very appealing to me. Bradbury's prose and pacing are not always my personal cup of tea, but I respect it as a relic of the era when it was written, and don't blame the author for it at all.
In this case, the sometimes dated writing style doesn't get in the way of the story at all. The pace is fluent, I find the alternating scenes of philosophical exposition, external action, and internal monologue to be well balanced and interesting. I liked the book's message, such as I perceived it, and found the ideas enough to be worth discussing with friends over late night pots of coffee.
I do think that the fact that it has generated such debate alone makes it worthy of the title of Great Art, because isn't that what Great Art is meant to do, make you think, and argue and see things a little differently than you did before?
If you haven't read this book, read it now. I'm not promising you will fall in love with it, as it can be difficult in places, and vague in others, and in many ways not satisfactory. However, one thing I can promise is that it will make you think, and ask questions, and that's much more important than simply being entertained.
Hello All!
Welcome to my book reviewing blog! I hope you like it here.
For the first two weeks of this blog, I will be posting reviews EVERY DAY! I have plenty of backlog, and I thought I should start off by putting as much of the good stuff up here for you guys to read as I could. After that I think the posting schedule will be once a week or so, probably every Monday, but we'll see how that goes.
Feel free to leave comments, disagree, and argue, but please have some sort of point when you do so. If you can't contribute a valid argument, then I will delete your comment.
Also, there may or may not be some strong language in these reviews. I don't cuss a lot in my writing usually, but I may resort to it if I get worked up, Sorry if it bugs you.
And with no further ado, we are on to the first review! I might even do two today! How about that?
For the first two weeks of this blog, I will be posting reviews EVERY DAY! I have plenty of backlog, and I thought I should start off by putting as much of the good stuff up here for you guys to read as I could. After that I think the posting schedule will be once a week or so, probably every Monday, but we'll see how that goes.
Feel free to leave comments, disagree, and argue, but please have some sort of point when you do so. If you can't contribute a valid argument, then I will delete your comment.
Also, there may or may not be some strong language in these reviews. I don't cuss a lot in my writing usually, but I may resort to it if I get worked up, Sorry if it bugs you.
And with no further ado, we are on to the first review! I might even do two today! How about that?
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