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slinky179's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Basically anything you've heard about this book is true. The work put into it and the language is truly astounding. For those interested in linguistics and social science fiction, this is an easy recommend. It is an extremely difficult read and has quite an odd mix of tones. It can be light hearted and humorous a la tom sawyer, but can be very dark and gruesome. Also expect stretches of several pages where you arent picking up a lick of information.
I am a very big Gene Wolfe fan and I found this about as or even more difficult than anything I've read by him (or anyone else). Similar experience to a first read of shadow of the torturer but even more heavily shrouded in language and ambiguity.
Immensely beautiful with some stunning poetry written in a language that doesn't exist, so the effort does pay off. Would not recommend this if you are looking for plot or even characters. This is very much an introspective novel about history, social evolution, and human nature.
I am a very big Gene Wolfe fan and I found this about as or even more difficult than anything I've read by him (or anyone else). Similar experience to a first read of shadow of the torturer but even more heavily shrouded in language and ambiguity.
Immensely beautiful with some stunning poetry written in a language that doesn't exist, so the effort does pay off. Would not recommend this if you are looking for plot or even characters. This is very much an introspective novel about history, social evolution, and human nature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Child abuse
Moderate: Gore
zealforneil's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
It’s difficult to know where to start when summing up Riddley Walker. Do you start with the language, a broken and twisted form of English that paradoxically could only have been created by someone equally besotted with and proficient in our own tongue? The setting, an equally broken England with a people who are pushing on with life in ‘the grim darkness of the far future’? The plot, a chase across country in pursuit of people, of MacGuffins, of ideas, thoughts and dreams? This last detail is what, on reflection, sticks out to me about this book. More than anything else, Riddley Walker is a tale of memory, belief, religion, paganism, spirituality, storytelling, and, most importantly, how they are all just different sides of a many-sided coin. As such, the message and core of this book is not revealed at the conclusion of the plot, but slowly built brick-by-brick, page-by-page; the book hopes that by the time it’s done with you, you have pieced enough together to recognise that theme.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
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