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lottesuardi's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
sandiet's review
1.0
reading on my Kindle, can't tell you exactly what page. First book by Joshua Ferris but I do have his first book loaded and ready to go. So far I'm finding "The Unnamed" very different, not bad different just different.
Update: Feb 7...finished the book this morning, had to get it over with. I didn't like this book at all. I only hope his other book is much better. "The Unnamed" should have been called "The Unwritten", what a waste of my time. NEXT!
Update: Feb 7...finished the book this morning, had to get it over with. I didn't like this book at all. I only hope his other book is much better. "The Unnamed" should have been called "The Unwritten", what a waste of my time. NEXT!
dewey_scrapper's review
I listened to the first disc, and couldn't go any further. Maybe it would be better in print?
geoffdgeorge's review against another edition
It's my own fault for going into this book expecting the highs I experienced with Then We Came to the End. Not that I hated The Unnamed, but I missed the humor and bite of Ferris's debut.
Gotta judge the book on its own merits, though. I liked its conceit (Tim, a lawyer, struggles with a mystery condition that sends him on bouts of uncontrolled walking), and the meditations on what it's like mentally to be wrestling with something bodily that your trapped mind can't do anything about were really hitting home, given all my struggles with knee issues the past few years. I also found myself deeply invested in Tim's physical deterioration as the long walks took their toll. I was not expecting Joshua Ferris to dip a toe into body horror.
Other characters that were not Tim were way less fleshed out, though, and as they were written seemed mostly like padding around what might've worked better as a short story or novella.
Gotta judge the book on its own merits, though. I liked its conceit (Tim, a lawyer, struggles with a mystery condition that sends him on bouts of uncontrolled walking), and the meditations on what it's like mentally to be wrestling with something bodily that your trapped mind can't do anything about were really hitting home, given all my struggles with knee issues the past few years. I also found myself deeply invested in Tim's physical deterioration as the long walks took their toll. I was not expecting Joshua Ferris to dip a toe into body horror.
Other characters that were not Tim were way less fleshed out, though, and as they were written seemed mostly like padding around what might've worked better as a short story or novella.
spiderman15's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
debs4jc's review
2.0
The Unnamed is an odd story, filled with dark humor that some (like me) probably won't find very humorous, just puzzling. Tim, the main character, suffers from some weird sord of disorder that makes him get up and keep walking--with no control over where--until he falls down out of exhaustion and sleeps. He is in constant danger of suffering from exposure (espcially since they live in New York). His long suffering wife helps him in any way she can, packing a backpack for him of essentials and driving hours in the middle of the night to come pick him up from odd locations. But both Tim and his wife seem to have reached the end of their rope with this latest relapse (Tim goes through periods of remission where the disease lies dormant). I kept hoping they would find some cause for Tim's affliction or some better way to cope but instead we get a brutal story of Tim trying to beat the disease by destroying parts of himself and rants about the meaning of it all.
shesnotthere's review
3.0
I read Mr. Ferris' debut novel & had heard great things about this novel as well. The plot was extremely intriguing & there were flashes of brilliance, but I found the actual story lacking & I was never comfortable with the narrative of the book. The book jumped around way too much & there were way too many loose ends. Maybe that was the point...that Tim couldn't finish what he started due to his condition, but the writing style wore thin with me. I do think Mr. Ferris is a talented author; I just don't think this was his best effort.
derekmoodyrutledge's review
5.0
Joshua Ferris seems to invoke strong feelings of dislike or admiration. i fall into the second category. i find his novels to be wildely imaginative and wholly readable. Some of his characters aren't the most likeable, but it doesn't change the effectiveness of his storytelling. I thoroughly enjoyed this sad, creative book.
bookfett's review
3.0
I didn't really feel connected to the characters or story until about halfway through. The story is heart-breaking.