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takumo_n's review against another edition
3.0
I'm totally not jealous that this is a very decent debut novel and made the author a millionaire, no sir! The book is about a guy with a horrible childhood filled with abuse of every kind, he becomes a porn actor in his young adulthood and while high and drunk gets into a car accident that burns him alive. In the hospital he meets Marianne Engel, a mental patient who tells him stories about herself 700 years ago, she being a baby found at the steps of a monastery in Germany and with incredible talent for leguages starts helping with translations of different parts of the Bible. Until in this story of the past she mets with our protagonist who is a mercenary carrying Dante's inferno which saves him from an arrow to his heart (very sutil), and Marianne does a personal translation to the German of the Inferno. While at the hospital she also tells him others stories of Japanese, Scandinavian, and Germanic folklore that bleed in with reality, even Dante's Inferno, all about lost love, death, and physical pain. It's pretty interesting. The problem is the main character not really behaving like an abused person getting out of drugs, or Marianne really conducting herself as a crazy person without her meds. So except for Marianne's tales, the main story is not that interesting. But it has a killer beginning and ending, and it is a debut after all, they all have the problem of not trusting their audience, because they don't have one. But it's good, I promise.
mrsbear's review against another edition
5.0
Ok, this book is right up there in my top ten favorites. It's a love story, a life changing story, a story within a story. It make me laugh, cry and rethink a lot of things. I can't say enough good things about this book, just read it.
mzokiegolfer's review against another edition
3.0
When it came time to list the genre on my reading schedule, not sure where to put it ~ fantasy, romance, historical fiction. A little of all I guess. I didn't dislike this book as I thought it was amazingly well written for a debut novel but wasn't quite sure I was fully invested in the book. I would read a little and then put it down and go do something else so it was just so-so. Others can give a better review re book synopsis.
chloec18's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
marthahope's review against another edition
3.0
Overall I enjoyed this book. The narrator is engaging and his dark sense of humour and sarcasm was definitely one of my favourite aspects of the novel.
However, I found myself getting restless and a little bored about two thirds of the way through. Although I initially enjoyed the storytelling of Marianne - which reminded me strongly of Scheherazade in Arabian Nights - I felt like these stories held more drive and conflict than the centre story. I really wanted to love the book, the narrator had some beautifully written insights and opinions on life, love and humanity, but instead I found myself eager for the novel's close.
I strongly disliked the narrator's trip to Hell during his morphine withdrawal, I understand why it happened and how it was necessary in regards to Marianne's stories, but I really did not like it.
I think I went into the book with expectations and it didn't quite live up to them. Nevertheless, Andrew Davidson writes with a lyricism that really shines through at points, it just failed to grab me in the same way as others.
However, I found myself getting restless and a little bored about two thirds of the way through. Although I initially enjoyed the storytelling of Marianne - which reminded me strongly of Scheherazade in Arabian Nights - I felt like these stories held more drive and conflict than the centre story. I really wanted to love the book, the narrator had some beautifully written insights and opinions on life, love and humanity, but instead I found myself eager for the novel's close.
I strongly disliked the narrator's trip to Hell during his morphine withdrawal, I understand why it happened and how it was necessary in regards to Marianne's stories, but I really did not like it.
I think I went into the book with expectations and it didn't quite live up to them. Nevertheless, Andrew Davidson writes with a lyricism that really shines through at points, it just failed to grab me in the same way as others.
dormilona's review against another edition
5.0
Really great. Hits all the things I like in a story. History, romance, religion, feel-good tragedy, and a really great voice of a narrator. And unexpectedly funny!
emerygirl's review against another edition
3.0
This book was... Interesting. The writing was superb, but the story line failed to keep me hooked. I'm afraid some of it was too deep for my simple mind.
cathybruce208's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great book. Sad, funny, gross, and even romantic. The narrator is a truly repulsive character that you love anyway. If you like historical or psychological fiction, pick up this book.
keurimjanee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.25
boreasword's review against another edition
3.0
It got better as the story progressed. I found myself enjoying the past life stories more than the present day story. Well played use of Dante's Inferno. Well researched, but some of the descriptive writing is so "purple" that I actually groaned in a few places.
On my Past Lives shelf, where I'm logging books I've read dealing with shared recollection of past lives. I'm writing a novel with this theme.