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kirstenmeek's review
4.0
Well, I picked this book up in a humble bundle a while back and finally got around to reading it. I had no idea what I was getting in to when I started because I skipped reading the blurb and just dove in. It became clear from the beginning that this would be a ridiculous plot. It's basically "Godzilla as the solution to the H bomb, solve war, third step profit." A prominent monster movie actor gets to strap in to a giant lizard costume and do his best to stop the war.
What I didn't expect, was for this silly book to turn real. I will say that the anti-war, deep philosophy stuff got a little heavy handed at the end there, BUT: The main character was at all times charming and clever to me. I wanted to hear what he had to say. I don't know how better to explain the book, but it's a quick read, and I think it's worth some of your time if you're craving something a little different.
What I didn't expect, was for this silly book to turn real. I will say that the anti-war, deep philosophy stuff got a little heavy handed at the end there, BUT: The main character was at all times charming and clever to me. I wanted to hear what he had to say. I don't know how better to explain the book, but it's a quick read, and I think it's worth some of your time if you're craving something a little different.
misterjay's review
4.0
What an odd, little book. Written as the bizarre, end of the road, musings of a Hollywood has been, at that stage of life where there are more lifetime achievement awards and retrospectives than there are new challenges, Shambling Towards Hiroshima is an all-too-plausible about World War II and how they tried to end it.
It’s fast, funny, clever, deeply, deeply weird, and a lot of fun, especially if you’re into alternate history, kaiju, tales from Hollywood, and / or sex inside rubber suits.
It’s fast, funny, clever, deeply, deeply weird, and a lot of fun, especially if you’re into alternate history, kaiju, tales from Hollywood, and / or sex inside rubber suits.
scheu's review
4.0
This Morrow book is only a novella, and since he doesn't have as much time to develop ideas, the story has a Christopher Moore sort of feel to it, but that's not a bad thing. Syms Thorley writes a memoir of an alternate plan to end the war with Japan by playing a kaiju in a propaganda film. Morrow's books are always a treat!
shane_tiernan's review
2.0
Kind of like [b:Bigfoot and the Bodhisattva|39080543|Bigfoot and the Bodhisattva|James Morrow|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1520503628l/39080543._SY75_.jpg|60644413] this book seemed to be kind of confused about whether it should be funny or depressing. Maybe that Morrow's style? I guess it's more absurd than funny because this one seemed to be pretty dark most of the time, while at the same time being ridiculous. It was a novella, but I feel like it could have been a short story and maybe had more impact.
Once again Morrow is raising awareness about a dark time in history and it's completely obvious how he feels about the events. For me, that was probably the most interesting part of the story, though it did make me really sad.
Once again Morrow is raising awareness about a dark time in history and it's completely obvious how he feels about the events. For me, that was probably the most interesting part of the story, though it did make me really sad.
roxanamalinachirila's review
3.0
This book is filled with references to horror movies in the young days of cinema, which I suppose is a lot more fun if you actually know those movies (unlike me). It has a few funny scenes (some of which actually amused me, so all's good) and a plot that... well, it's cute, but nothing special. Simple, straight, with a strange dose of realism towards the end.
I hadn't meant to read this around the anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, but I did, and the ending was a reminder of them, drifting into a heavy atmosphere of loss and failure.
Overall, I didn't love it, but it was somewhat entertaining for a few days. Horror movie fans will probably enjoy it more than I did.
I hadn't meant to read this around the anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, but I did, and the ending was a reminder of them, drifting into a heavy atmosphere of loss and failure.
Overall, I didn't love it, but it was somewhat entertaining for a few days. Horror movie fans will probably enjoy it more than I did.
eraofkara's review
1.0
I just lost all interest in this book about halfway through.
If you want James Morrow in excellent form, read Towing Jehovah or Bible Stories for Adults.
If you want James Morrow in excellent form, read Towing Jehovah or Bible Stories for Adults.
krismoon's review
2.0
I should’ve loved this book, as I loved the premise and I love old B-horror and monster flicks. But I just didn’t connect with it.
arensb's review
4.0
In the real world, Godzilla started as a parable about atomic weapons. In this satire, it's the other way around: a Godzilla-like monster is America's devastating, war-ending superweapon.
For the most part, Morrow does a good job of setting things up and playing with the inversion. If the premise sounds like something you'd like, you'll likely enjoy the execution.
I'm taking a star off because of the last act.
Behind the silliness of the premise, and making fun of Hollywood and its monster movies, there's a protagonist who has to wrestle with his inner demons and confront his actions during the war.
For the most part, Morrow does a good job of setting things up and playing with the inversion. If the premise sounds like something you'd like, you'll likely enjoy the execution.
I'm taking a star off because of the last act.
Spoiler
In the beginning, we're told that the Army is working on a bomb of some kind; the implication is that we're in an alternate reality that has Corpsicula instead of Dracula, and giant lizards, not atomic bombs, ended WWII. But in the last part of the book, it turns out that the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki after all, and later history is retconned to explain why no one knows about the lizards. I think the story would have played much better as originally set up.Behind the silliness of the premise, and making fun of Hollywood and its monster movies, there's a protagonist who has to wrestle with his inner demons and confront his actions during the war.
tregina's review
4.0
I spent most of this book feeling profoundly entertained, and finished it feeling terribly moved. The latter parts are a bit heavy-handed for my taste, but then they struck a chord with me so I can't fault them too much for that. Overall, I was riveted pretty much from start to finish.