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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It does help that I studied at Cornell starting a year after the author spent his time in Ithaca writing this. So many little bits of Cornell and Ithaca nostalgia! But the story itself is delightful, complete with a full cast of sprites, dogs (and a cat!), Tolkien fanatics, Risley Hall Bohemians, and a few beings for whom the "Greek system" doesn't just mean fraternities and sororities.
This is also a book loaded with no much deus ex machina, that at one point the literal deus ex machina complains that a plot development is too much of a deus ex machina. The story works in spite of this, and a little bit because of this.
Fun characters, with two of them absolutely stealing the show: Luther, a dog who finds Ithaca on a search for Heaven, and Ragnarok, a motorcycle tough desperate forced to live with the darkness of his horrific upbringing. The rest of the cast are fun, and the worldbuilding is great. In spite of a lot of comedy, the villains are genuinely terrifying, and there are some surprisingly intense moments of violence and horror in the midst of a lot of lighthearted fantasy.
This is also a book loaded with no much deus ex machina, that at one point the literal deus ex machina complains that a plot development is too much of a deus ex machina. The story works in spite of this, and a little bit because of this.
Fun characters, with two of them absolutely stealing the show: Luther, a dog who finds Ithaca on a search for Heaven, and Ragnarok, a motorcycle tough desperate forced to live with the darkness of his horrific upbringing. The rest of the cast are fun, and the worldbuilding is great. In spite of a lot of comedy, the villains are genuinely terrifying, and there are some surprisingly intense moments of violence and horror in the midst of a lot of lighthearted fantasy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism
Minor: Rape
When I was 14 or 15, I really, desperately wanted to go to Cornell for college -- and it was all because of this book, which is part coming of age story, part fairy tale, part entirely its own entity. Magical and amazing, and for me, it still holds up, more than 10 years later.
If I had the option I guess I would give this like a 3.5.
It was definitely entertaining, I read it rather fast, it held my attention for 400 pages.. but in retrospect, nothing actually happened. It was a weak ending, the characters didn't really come together the way I expected. There were so any background stories and interesting characters built into the plot for like 300 pages and then it just fell apart at the end, I guess I expected a more conclusive Harry Potter-esque ending.
I liked it, but I'll probably forget it in a few months.
It was definitely entertaining, I read it rather fast, it held my attention for 400 pages.. but in retrospect, nothing actually happened. It was a weak ending, the characters didn't really come together the way I expected. There were so any background stories and interesting characters built into the plot for like 300 pages and then it just fell apart at the end, I guess I expected a more conclusive Harry Potter-esque ending.
I liked it, but I'll probably forget it in a few months.
Read it the first time back in the late 80s and continue to love this story. Matt Ruff's an awesome writer.
To be honest, I'm surprised this book has so many positive reviews. It's definitely a first novel. Chaotic, brimming with literary references, and somewhat pretentious, I found myself skimming most of the book. The basic premise is that life is a play directed by God to amuse himself, and you're hit on the head with this over and over (yes, we've all considered that idea ourselves before without any help, thank-you-very-much).
Part of the reason I may have found it harder to read than most folks is that I'm recent Cornell graduate, and a Risleyite (once a Risleyite, always a Risleyite... it's rather like being a Queen of Narnia). I found all the familiar things distracting. It also made me notice a certain immaturity in the plot of this novel (definitely reflected in Risley culture even today), which is the belief that Risleyites are superior and frats are evil. It's this sort of clique-ishness- the idea of "us" vs. "them"- that the novel spends so much time tearing down in other areas (black vs. white, purebred dog vs. mongrel). The inconsistency, I think, definitely reveals a young author.
Well, at least now I know where the rumor that dogs are allowed to roam free on the arts quad came from.
Part of the reason I may have found it harder to read than most folks is that I'm recent Cornell graduate, and a Risleyite (once a Risleyite, always a Risleyite... it's rather like being a Queen of Narnia). I found all the familiar things distracting. It also made me notice a certain immaturity in the plot of this novel (definitely reflected in Risley culture even today), which is the belief that Risleyites are superior and frats are evil. It's this sort of clique-ishness- the idea of "us" vs. "them"- that the novel spends so much time tearing down in other areas (black vs. white, purebred dog vs. mongrel). The inconsistency, I think, definitely reveals a young author.
Well, at least now I know where the rumor that dogs are allowed to roam free on the arts quad came from.
