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timshel's review
1.0
For the most part I don’t like giving bad reviews. Sure there are books that deserve it, books that are all the craze and might’ve been written by a middle schooler (Fifty Shades…, I’m looking at you). But then there are books that are “written well” but lack any semblance of plot, character development, conflict, setting, joy, pain, life. I hate to group this sort of book with those I previously mentioned, but the truth is, this “well written book” is as difficult to read as the one that should be packing material.
The Pesthouse lacks everything a novel needs with the exception of well-orchestrated sentences. The story, what little bit of it there is, is told in the most clinical fashion; it was more like reading a psychologist’s report of the incidents than reading a novel. The characters were drab and unbelievable—they wouldn’t survive a day in this post-apocalyptic world. The dialogue was painful—why has the “end of the world” reverted the speech of people to Pioneer-speak? In short, I recognize that Jim Crace can write a sentence, but that doesn’t keep The Pesthouse from being extremely boring.
The best thing about this book is the cover of the hardback edition. I love this cover. Love it. It’s simple, but so elegant. The texture of the cover is unique, a very dull, old-fashioned paper with raised glossy print. The typeface is clear, demanding but not overpowering. The black and white imagery stands out in its simplicity. It is a wonderful book to hold and to gaze at; unfortunately, I wish I would’ve left it on my shelf unread, because despite its beauty, I now know of the great dissatisfaction that resides between its handsome covers.
Beautiful Cover + Intriguing Synopsis ≠ Guaranteed Enjoyable Read
The Pesthouse lacks everything a novel needs with the exception of well-orchestrated sentences. The story, what little bit of it there is, is told in the most clinical fashion; it was more like reading a psychologist’s report of the incidents than reading a novel. The characters were drab and unbelievable—they wouldn’t survive a day in this post-apocalyptic world. The dialogue was painful—why has the “end of the world” reverted the speech of people to Pioneer-speak? In short, I recognize that Jim Crace can write a sentence, but that doesn’t keep The Pesthouse from being extremely boring.
The best thing about this book is the cover of the hardback edition. I love this cover. Love it. It’s simple, but so elegant. The texture of the cover is unique, a very dull, old-fashioned paper with raised glossy print. The typeface is clear, demanding but not overpowering. The black and white imagery stands out in its simplicity. It is a wonderful book to hold and to gaze at; unfortunately, I wish I would’ve left it on my shelf unread, because despite its beauty, I now know of the great dissatisfaction that resides between its handsome covers.
Beautiful Cover + Intriguing Synopsis ≠ Guaranteed Enjoyable Read
rosseroo's review
One thing that's key to understand going into this book is that it's all about tone and feeling, and not about details or logic. To a certain extent, the reader just has to accept the world that Crace has presented, and not try to figure it out. This was a big struggle for me as I started it, since most stories (be they books or films) set in a post-apocalyptic world either explain how the world got that way, or use the mystery of the "why/how" as a major plot device. Here, Crace simply posits a greatly depopulated America some two-hundred years in the future (according to an interview I read) which has been thrust back into a kind of early 19th-century existence, only with almost no technology and no written language. There are intimations of a widespread plague, and some kind of permanent crop failures, but just hints, nothing concrete. Elements of this make no sense at all -- especially the loss of technology and writing -- but you just have to go with it.
The book follows two people through this landscape where there is no government or rule of law beyond rudimentary local customs and practices. Franklin is a young man from somewhere out West, who has left the homestead to make his way to the East Coast, where there are apparently ships that take people to a better life in Europe. Margaret is a 30ish spinster whose family, according to custom, kicks her out of their fairly prosperous town when she manifests symptoms of the plague. The two are thrust together by fate, and embark on a perilous quest eastward for a better life. Their journey is filled with the expected trials and tribulations (bandits, betrayal, slavers, separation, physical hardship, etc.), but the story is told in such a way that it is clear the two will end up back together by the end. One flaw in the book is that Franklin is left far too underdeveloped to really engage the reader as a co-protagonist, especially in comparison with Margaret, who is fully realized.
In that sense, the story might be considered too gentle. Yes, bad things happen to Franklin and Margaret, but this version of America isn't quite menacing enough to invest the story with any real suspense over the outcome. Indeed, at times, it's hard to really understand why people want to leave and head for the ships. Large swathes of the country they pass through seem perfectly fine, with farming and animal husbandry. And indeed, this greatly undermines the story's conclusion, which I won't give away, but is not exactly surprising. Ultimately, Crace seems to have written this book as a way of expressing optimism. it's definitely worth reading for his beautiful command of language and unexpected turns of phrase, especially when it comes to physical description, just don't expect it to hold together as a dystopian vision of the future.
The book follows two people through this landscape where there is no government or rule of law beyond rudimentary local customs and practices. Franklin is a young man from somewhere out West, who has left the homestead to make his way to the East Coast, where there are apparently ships that take people to a better life in Europe. Margaret is a 30ish spinster whose family, according to custom, kicks her out of their fairly prosperous town when she manifests symptoms of the plague. The two are thrust together by fate, and embark on a perilous quest eastward for a better life. Their journey is filled with the expected trials and tribulations (bandits, betrayal, slavers, separation, physical hardship, etc.), but the story is told in such a way that it is clear the two will end up back together by the end. One flaw in the book is that Franklin is left far too underdeveloped to really engage the reader as a co-protagonist, especially in comparison with Margaret, who is fully realized.
In that sense, the story might be considered too gentle. Yes, bad things happen to Franklin and Margaret, but this version of America isn't quite menacing enough to invest the story with any real suspense over the outcome. Indeed, at times, it's hard to really understand why people want to leave and head for the ships. Large swathes of the country they pass through seem perfectly fine, with farming and animal husbandry. And indeed, this greatly undermines the story's conclusion, which I won't give away, but is not exactly surprising. Ultimately, Crace seems to have written this book as a way of expressing optimism. it's definitely worth reading for his beautiful command of language and unexpected turns of phrase, especially when it comes to physical description, just don't expect it to hold together as a dystopian vision of the future.
rachelp's review
3.0
This book was as much about the budding relationship between Franklin and Margaret as it was about their struggle to make it to the eastern coastline. It was an interesting read, although there are definitely better post-apocalyptic, plague-stricken America type books out there. I did like that even though the story occurs years and years in the future, when our buildings and roads are in ruins and factory made items are rare treasures, it feels like the past. The men all wear beards and the women all wear dresses, people travel on foot or by horse and cart, etc.
lisagray68's review
2.0
Very similar to The Road -- equally depressing. I suppose it's good writing,but who wants to spend their time reading such a downer? I don't mind a dystopian novel, as long as there is some hope. This is just grim.
satyridae's review
1.0
I didn't like this book for several reasons. I think the post-apocalyptic dystopian novel has been done much better (and with nearly identical plot) many times before. The author also kept me at arm's length from the characters, I think because of the formality of his prose. The book seemed mannered, self-conscious, and pedestrian all at once. I found the characters likable enough but not compelling.
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