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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
When describing "You Shall Know Our Velocity" I often state "It's like Holden Caulfield went On the Road." It has the same intensely necessary characterization, the same description and the same morose feeling for much of the book.
I like to say YSKOV is one of my favorite books even though most of the book annoys my (perhaps because I hate both Catcher in the Rye and Jack Kerouac). Even so, it is one of my favorite books because of a passage in the last 30 pages of the book about the jumping people who took life's sorrows into their mouths and souls in order to fly. They sucked in the air as a sort of helium to make themselves lighter.
It is that passage alone that makes me love this book.
I like to say YSKOV is one of my favorite books even though most of the book annoys my (perhaps because I hate both Catcher in the Rye and Jack Kerouac). Even so, it is one of my favorite books because of a passage in the last 30 pages of the book about the jumping people who took life's sorrows into their mouths and souls in order to fly. They sucked in the air as a sort of helium to make themselves lighter.
It is that passage alone that makes me love this book.
You Shall Know Our Velocity has a funny story. It was first published in 2002 under the name You Shall Know Our Velocity and then a year later a new edition came out called Sacrament, which included additional material in the middle of the book that basically calls to question our narrators, Will's, reliability, completely changing the meaning of the book.
Later, the book was published in paperback with it's original name except with an exclamation at the end, (You Shall Know Our Velocity!) which includes the additional material. This is the copy most people seem to be reading (as it is more readily available than the 1st edition or Sacrament) and reviewing, but I read the 1st edition without the additional material, and I have to say I loved it as it is. Knowing what the additional material entails and how it changes the narrative, part of me never wants to read it. I want to keep the story as it is, just a story of two friends traveling around the world, grieving their other friend. But as a huge Eggers fan, I know I will try to get my hands on the newer edition, read the additional material and over-analyze everything and wonder why are you so meta Eggers, why!
Anyway, as of the review of the 1st edition, it's pure Eggers, full of beauty and grief, and I absolutely loved it.
Later, the book was published in paperback with it's original name except with an exclamation at the end, (You Shall Know Our Velocity!) which includes the additional material. This is the copy most people seem to be reading (as it is more readily available than the 1st edition or Sacrament) and reviewing, but I read the 1st edition without the additional material, and I have to say I loved it as it is. Knowing what the additional material entails and how it changes the narrative, part of me never wants to read it. I want to keep the story as it is, just a story of two friends traveling around the world, grieving their other friend. But as a huge Eggers fan, I know I will try to get my hands on the newer edition, read the additional material and over-analyze everything and wonder why are you so meta Eggers, why!
Anyway, as of the review of the 1st edition, it's pure Eggers, full of beauty and grief, and I absolutely loved it.
Meh. Has some nice turns periodically, but can't help but feel pretty slight at the end of the day.
- O.M.G., was this bad!
- I mean could it really be so awful, or is it just the total shock of how much I think it falls short of his first (brilliant!) work 'A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius'. The nearly pointless (as far as I could tell) plot revolves around the protagonist "Will" and his travelling companion "Hand" (or perhaps this is a metaphor for a single individual - you know - mind versus body) who must travel around the world and give away $32,000 in only one week. I thought that the writing was unclear and convoluted.
- I mean could it really be so awful, or is it just the total shock of how much I think it falls short of his first (brilliant!) work 'A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius'. The nearly pointless (as far as I could tell) plot revolves around the protagonist "Will" and his travelling companion "Hand" (or perhaps this is a metaphor for a single individual - you know - mind versus body) who must travel around the world and give away $32,000 in only one week. I thought that the writing was unclear and convoluted.
I made myself read this one. I've been working on it since July. I feel like I really should like Eggers, but I didn't really like his staggering heartbreak one so I never got past the first chapter. I thought there was a chance I could get into this one with the world travel and everything, but no such luck. I did enjoy the description of places I'm familiar with, but I'm not familiar with much of the geography this book covers.
I get trying to make your life have meaning and struggling with privilege and trying to make a difference. But I really couldn't get past the feeling that the main characters were confused and simplistic in their approach to things.
The only thing that made me push through on this was the postmodern takes on the form. The only thing that made it redeeming enough for more than one star was the story of the Jumping People, but it was still a bit weak.
So, I'm not in the group who thinks Eggers' writing is cool. Though, I do love it in small doses, for some reason I enjoyed What is the What, I think McSweeney's is terrific, and I love his activism. Hm.
I get trying to make your life have meaning and struggling with privilege and trying to make a difference. But I really couldn't get past the feeling that the main characters were confused and simplistic in their approach to things.
The only thing that made me push through on this was the postmodern takes on the form. The only thing that made it redeeming enough for more than one star was the story of the Jumping People, but it was still a bit weak.
So, I'm not in the group who thinks Eggers' writing is cool. Though, I do love it in small doses, for some reason I enjoyed What is the What, I think McSweeney's is terrific, and I love his activism. Hm.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
Stăteam de vorbă cu Mână, unul din cei doi buni prieteni ai mei, cel care mai era încă în viaţă, şi făceam planuri de plecare. Ajunseserăm să avem zile bune, săptămâni bune, când ne prefăceam că era acceptabil faptul că Jack trăise şi că viaţa lui fusese, în felul ei trunchiat, completă. Asta nu era una din zilele alea. Mă plimbam nervos de colo până colo şi Mână ştia că sunt nervos şi ştia ce înseamnă asta. Făceam aşa când încercam să înţeleg ceva sau când făceam planuri, îmi flexam încheieturile şi îmi pocneam degetele uşor şi aritmie şi mă duceam de la extremitatea vestică a apartamentului, unde încuiam şi descuiam uşa de la intrare, spre latura estică, la uşa glisantă care dădea pe puntea din spate, pe care o deschideam rapid, scoteam capul afară şi o închideam din nou. Mână auzea fâsâitul slab al uşii care se mişca înainte şi înapoi pe şină, dar nu spunea nimic.