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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
I found most of the characters to be thoroughly dislikeable, so the first two-thirds of the book or so were a hard slog. When things picked up a bit, making the plot more of a thriller, I found a lot of it implausible. By the time we got to the end, the plot turned farce-like. My overall impression is that the whole book was rather an incoherent and unlikeable mess, and that having it revolve around a Shakespeare manuscript was a particularly poor choice.
I listened to the audio book and disliked the narrator as well. His tone struck me as overly snide, which was probably appropriate for our unpleasant protagonist, but it made me even less interested in what became of him. Nevertheless, I doubt I would have even finished the book had I read it on hard copy.
I listened to the audio book and disliked the narrator as well. His tone struck me as overly snide, which was probably appropriate for our unpleasant protagonist, but it made me even less interested in what became of him. Nevertheless, I doubt I would have even finished the book had I read it on hard copy.
The Book of Air and Shadows had me almost at the first sentence. The writing is engaging and silly, such as, "I suppose I am hiding out, but I can hardly bring myself to use such a dramatic term. In seclusion, let us say. Armed seclusion, let us say." And the story is crazy thrill ride across 500 years of history and intrigue.
The narrator, Jake Mishkin, is the odd result of a Nazi mother and Jewish father, with equally odd siblings. His life is falling apart around him, largely because of stupid choices on his part, and he writes honestly of his longings, failings and fears. He is caught up in a wild chase for a long-forgotten manuscript, along with a wannabe screen writer, his rare books restorer and maybe girlfriend, a Shakespeare scholar and old friend, and assorted family members and mobsters. It is as if Dan Brown developed a sense of humor and then wrote one of his mysteries. Only much better.
The ending is a bit a let down, a little too tied up in a big bow, but most of the story is a galloping fun ride. I highly recommend it.
The narrator, Jake Mishkin, is the odd result of a Nazi mother and Jewish father, with equally odd siblings. His life is falling apart around him, largely because of stupid choices on his part, and he writes honestly of his longings, failings and fears. He is caught up in a wild chase for a long-forgotten manuscript, along with a wannabe screen writer, his rare books restorer and maybe girlfriend, a Shakespeare scholar and old friend, and assorted family members and mobsters. It is as if Dan Brown developed a sense of humor and then wrote one of his mysteries. Only much better.
The ending is a bit a let down, a little too tied up in a big bow, but most of the story is a galloping fun ride. I highly recommend it.
Video Review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i31MCr2OZbE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i31MCr2OZbE
The characters were unbelievable, the story was slow, and the writing was stilted.
I could not stand how one main character provided commentary on how scattered of a memoir-writer he is. Equally annoying was the other main character’s propensity to analyze every situation and course of action as though it was part of a movie script. I gradually became used to these self-referential first-person perspectives, but it still made me feel stabby.
One main character goes on unnecessarily about his numerous sexual conquests, and another is involved in an awkward relationship with an untrustworthy woman who had tattooed a cipher grille onto her inner thigh:
“She stopped his mouth with her tongue and pressed [the:] long-lost cipher grille against his groin.”
At which point I threw the book down and exclaimed to Steve that my book had become so ridiculous I couldn’t stand it.
I could not stand how one main character provided commentary on how scattered of a memoir-writer he is. Equally annoying was the other main character’s propensity to analyze every situation and course of action as though it was part of a movie script. I gradually became used to these self-referential first-person perspectives, but it still made me feel stabby.
One main character goes on unnecessarily about his numerous sexual conquests, and another is involved in an awkward relationship with an untrustworthy woman who had tattooed a cipher grille onto her inner thigh:
“She stopped his mouth with her tongue and pressed [the:] long-lost cipher grille against his groin.”
At which point I threw the book down and exclaimed to Steve that my book had become so ridiculous I couldn’t stand it.
I originally picked up this book from the library and about mid-way through reading I found it at a used bookstore. I bought it, so I guess that's some testament to how much I liked it. It was a bit tedious at times, maybe a little too long. I've read a Gruber novel before and he tends toward pretentious over-explaining, but I happen to like his style.
Eh. I just finished this bc of entropy really.
Too much gratuitous orgasmic conversation, and an unnecessarily complicated denouement.
Too much gratuitous orgasmic conversation, and an unnecessarily complicated denouement.
I seriously was crazy about the first half of this book. I could not understand where the bad reviews on here came from. The second half, not so much. I didn't hate it, I just got bored with it.
I liked the writing style and the characters in this book, and maybe that's why I stayed in love with it as long as I did. I got annoyed with the plot which got more complex and more unbelievable as the book went on. I read this during a busy week, and so I could only read a few pages at a time sometimes, and I found myself having to catch up, because the plot got so crazy that it was hard to remember what had happened.
I feel like he wrote this book, hoping for it to become a movie. It is written in a movie style, and has tons and tons of movie references. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one on the big screen, and I think it would possibly be better because they would have to cut out a story-line or two.
Overall, a good read. I think that this is especially true because it is about books and, well, I love books.
I liked the writing style and the characters in this book, and maybe that's why I stayed in love with it as long as I did. I got annoyed with the plot which got more complex and more unbelievable as the book went on. I read this during a busy week, and so I could only read a few pages at a time sometimes, and I found myself having to catch up, because the plot got so crazy that it was hard to remember what had happened.
I feel like he wrote this book, hoping for it to become a movie. It is written in a movie style, and has tons and tons of movie references. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one on the big screen, and I think it would possibly be better because they would have to cut out a story-line or two.
Overall, a good read. I think that this is especially true because it is about books and, well, I love books.
Wow...the Goodreads community is really hatin' on this one. I don't think it deserves quite such harsh treatment. However, I often have a fairly high tolerance for overly wordy writers. And I can stomach an unpleasant narrator from time to time. Any reader whose preference is an admirable story teller would get a belly full of Jake quick enough...he is a pig.
In my estimation, although slow going at times, the book merits 3 stars. The plot is convoluted in that the action covers several historic eras (Shakespearean England, Nazi Germany and present day New York) and activity on 2 continents. In this way it mirrors one of my favorite recent works --The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova. (although I definitely prefer the latter title) It is an implausible yarn and, as others have pointed out, a flawed tale. I allowed myself to be taken along for the ride and actually had some fun along the way.
It is a bit frustrating to think about how the intriguing subject matter could be handled in a steadier and more refined manner. However, the egomaniac Jake, gross and crude as he was, would not have intimidated William Shakespeare, a writer who could certainly play to all the various strata in his audience. Not a masterpiece, certainly...but readers who enjoy unreliable narrators may find this a bit better than advertised.
In my estimation, although slow going at times, the book merits 3 stars. The plot is convoluted in that the action covers several historic eras (Shakespearean England, Nazi Germany and present day New York) and activity on 2 continents. In this way it mirrors one of my favorite recent works --The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova. (although I definitely prefer the latter title) It is an implausible yarn and, as others have pointed out, a flawed tale. I allowed myself to be taken along for the ride and actually had some fun along the way.
It is a bit frustrating to think about how the intriguing subject matter could be handled in a steadier and more refined manner. However, the egomaniac Jake, gross and crude as he was, would not have intimidated William Shakespeare, a writer who could certainly play to all the various strata in his audience. Not a masterpiece, certainly...but readers who enjoy unreliable narrators may find this a bit better than advertised.
Michael Gruber accomplishes what Dan Brown never could - an intellectual thriller, steeped in history. Fun read.
http://www.erinmjustice.com/post/220157054/i-just-finished-this-book-and-i-have-to-say-i-was