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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Wow, this book really messed with my head. Told completely backwards, it starts with the main character transitioning from death to old age, and us (and the mysterious narrator) slowly watching this man's life unfold in reverse. At times this could be a bit tedious and over done, (how many times did i have to read about him fighting with a new girl before getting together with her), but overall it was a really interesting perspective on things. As I got further and further in the book, I started looking at events in my own life, how it would all appear if I was watching myself live in reverse.
Throughout the book, you know that time is racing towards something intense that has really messed with the main character. And wow, I was not expecting the intensity of what it was. The narrator often mentions that life makes no sense (in this reverse fashion), and then when it finally does make sense to him, when we get to the place where the events make sense in this backwards perspective of time, well, that really hit me hard.
Interesting book. I think it will be a while before I stop analyzing my life events in reverse. :)
Throughout the book, you know that time is racing towards something intense that has really messed with the main character. And wow, I was not expecting the intensity of what it was. The narrator often mentions that life makes no sense (in this reverse fashion), and then when it finally does make sense to him, when we get to the place where the events make sense in this backwards perspective of time, well, that really hit me hard.
Interesting book. I think it will be a while before I stop analyzing my life events in reverse. :)
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
fast-paced
I feel as if this were two books. The central plot device is a neat, if not original idea of telling a story with time flowing in reverse. The first part of the book proceeds to make the most mundane, banal observances about the "action" in the narrators life. Plenty of conversations cleverly constructed to make sense if read from beginning or end and lots of scatological references which I guess are meant to be funny. This first book ends when the story reaches Auschwitz, and this story I would give a two star rating to.
But oh boy do things change from the point of reaching Auschwitz on. I found the backwards time flow narrative to be very effective in describing the horrors of the death camps in a way that other written accounts do not. Scenes in gas the chambers of crying families "reunited" and the experimental medical rooms were very chilling.
The description of the old jew appearing from the bottom of the latrine pit, arms and legs helplessly flailing as he is "rescued" by the German guards presents an image which to me is nearly as striking to me as the photo from the Viet Nam war of the little girl running away naked from the napalming of her village, her clothes having been burnt away.
Also especially standing out to me is the scene in the warehouse where the people are led back into hiding by a squad of soldiers led by a mother cradling a poor crying baby.
Scenes such as these two and others for me made the second part of this book worthy of a four star rating.
But oh boy do things change from the point of reaching Auschwitz on. I found the backwards time flow narrative to be very effective in describing the horrors of the death camps in a way that other written accounts do not. Scenes in gas the chambers of crying families "reunited" and the experimental medical rooms were very chilling.
The description of the old jew appearing from the bottom of the latrine pit, arms and legs helplessly flailing as he is "rescued" by the German guards presents an image which to me is nearly as striking to me as the photo from the Viet Nam war of the little girl running away naked from the napalming of her village, her clothes having been burnt away.
Also especially standing out to me is the scene in the warehouse where the people are led back into hiding by a squad of soldiers led by a mother cradling a poor crying baby.
Scenes such as these two and others for me made the second part of this book worthy of a four star rating.
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
He tenido que dejar pasar unos días antes de hacer la reseña del libro para poder reflexionar sobre las sensaciones que me ha producido su lectura.
Este ha sido uno de los libros que más me ha costado leer en mi vida, de hecho aunque lo empecé en inglés he tenido que terminarlo en su versión traducida, eso o abandonarlo. El autor juega con el concepto del tiempo y plantea una historia contada al revés, desde la muerte del protagonista, Tod Friendly, hasta su nacimiento en un pueblecito alemán. Toda la historia, al igual que los diálogos o las acciones cotidianas están narrados al revés, y eso además de plantear una dificultad para la lectura plantea un curioso dilema, para un observador externo ¿es la misma historia que si se narrara hacia delante? Atendiendo a la vida de Tod y su oscuro secreto la respuesta no es tan fácil de responder.
¿Me ha gustado el libro? Viendo las 2 estrellas que le he puesto la respuesta sería no, pero al igual que pasa con el libro no todo es negro o blanco. La novela, como ejercicio de estilo narrativa, es casi insuperable pero la historia que nos cuenta no es muy original, casi diríamos que está trillada y los personajes carecen de profundidad, aunque creo que es algo que el autor ha buscado a propósito.
Dicho esto no me arrepiento de haberla leído e incluso la recomendaría porque el típico caso de libro que se disfruta mas comentándolo que leyéndolo.
Este ha sido uno de los libros que más me ha costado leer en mi vida, de hecho aunque lo empecé en inglés he tenido que terminarlo en su versión traducida, eso o abandonarlo. El autor juega con el concepto del tiempo y plantea una historia contada al revés, desde la muerte del protagonista, Tod Friendly, hasta su nacimiento en un pueblecito alemán. Toda la historia, al igual que los diálogos o las acciones cotidianas están narrados al revés, y eso además de plantear una dificultad para la lectura plantea un curioso dilema, para un observador externo ¿es la misma historia que si se narrara hacia delante? Atendiendo a la vida de Tod y su oscuro secreto la respuesta no es tan fácil de responder.
¿Me ha gustado el libro? Viendo las 2 estrellas que le he puesto la respuesta sería no, pero al igual que pasa con el libro no todo es negro o blanco. La novela, como ejercicio de estilo narrativa, es casi insuperable pero la historia que nos cuenta no es muy original, casi diríamos que está trillada y los personajes carecen de profundidad, aunque creo que es algo que el autor ha buscado a propósito.
Dicho esto no me arrepiento de haberla leído e incluso la recomendaría porque el típico caso de libro que se disfruta mas comentándolo que leyéndolo.
This book is based on a powerful concept, clever idea, an exploration of a souless man from his death to his beginning. I have not read Vonnegut so the technique of going backwards in time is only familiar to me from The curious case of Benjamin Button. Here, however, it is used to investigate the Nazi and the atrocities they carried out.
The story begins with the death of doctor Tod Friendly, then traces his life backwards through years under assumed names and the horrors of his service in the SS, down to his childhood in post World War I Germany. Everything happens in reverse, dialogues, life, eating so as a physician he admits healthy patients and sends them out with illnesses or injuries. And his work at Auschwitz, under his real name Odilo Unverdorben ("innocent") involves bringing Jews to life.
It's going from the topmost, superficial layers to the core, in a way, peeling them away one by one.
Tod is a souless man with a vocal conscience, a study of an act so heinous that cannot be buried under any layer of identity. And even with so mamy layers, his real voice speaks through about helplessness, about powerlessness, about death of the soul and empty life. It digs to the core of the soul and finds confusion, chaos, a constant need to hide and escape and engage in relationships without committing.
The book is a confusing medley of journeys, people, events Tod's inner voice observes and comments, a split personality. Who is Tod Friendly? No one. Everyone. I really do love how we go backwards though, and have to piece together how things break apart, though,even if does to an extent get in the way of the actual study becoming a bit of form over content. Plus,I found it difficult to follow and get into the flow of the reverse mechanics as absolutely erything here is done in reverse.
The book is difficult to read, this is my first attempt at Amis and I find it dense and difficult. It will take more than one read to fully appreciate this, I feel. I don't feel like I fully understood it on first read and certainly feel like I missed a lot of nuances but the idea and topic are big, and the conceit clever.
I'd read it when you can commit to a difficult topic executed in a difficult, but interesting, way. One to reread and study more carefully.
The story begins with the death of doctor Tod Friendly, then traces his life backwards through years under assumed names and the horrors of his service in the SS, down to his childhood in post World War I Germany. Everything happens in reverse, dialogues, life, eating so as a physician he admits healthy patients and sends them out with illnesses or injuries. And his work at Auschwitz, under his real name Odilo Unverdorben ("innocent") involves bringing Jews to life.
It's going from the topmost, superficial layers to the core, in a way, peeling them away one by one.
Tod is a souless man with a vocal conscience, a study of an act so heinous that cannot be buried under any layer of identity. And even with so mamy layers, his real voice speaks through about helplessness, about powerlessness, about death of the soul and empty life. It digs to the core of the soul and finds confusion, chaos, a constant need to hide and escape and engage in relationships without committing.
The book is a confusing medley of journeys, people, events Tod's inner voice observes and comments, a split personality. Who is Tod Friendly? No one. Everyone. I really do love how we go backwards though, and have to piece together how things break apart, though,even if does to an extent get in the way of the actual study becoming a bit of form over content. Plus,I found it difficult to follow and get into the flow of the reverse mechanics as absolutely erything here is done in reverse.
The book is difficult to read, this is my first attempt at Amis and I find it dense and difficult. It will take more than one read to fully appreciate this, I feel. I don't feel like I fully understood it on first read and certainly feel like I missed a lot of nuances but the idea and topic are big, and the conceit clever.
I'd read it when you can commit to a difficult topic executed in a difficult, but interesting, way. One to reread and study more carefully.
I disliked this one intensely but I am willing to re-read it for a second critical assessment.
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tied for the most difficult book I have ever read. It was also the first book where you actually did have to read the summary (on the back cover) to understand the context. Either way, the reverse Time Arrow used in the book was useless. It added an extreme amount of effort to understand basic elements of the story (in UX we call this cognitive load). Lastly, I DON'T read books on this topic.
Steer clear of this one, folks.
Steer clear of this one, folks.