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katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
A Fraction of the Whole was a unique and frankly incredible read. Quicksand is clearly by the same author, with techniques and a voice that stands out almost from page one. And it's good, but for me, it's not quite as good as his award-winning debut.
Though it's still pretty marvellous. Narrated in turn by Liam (a policeman) and Aldo, this is the story of, well - Aldo. Even when we read about Liam, it's still all about Aldo. Possibly the world's unluckiest man. We catch glimpses of his accident-ridden past (murder? court case? accident?) and gradually Toltz takes us through Aldo's life, Liam's friendship with him, and we build up a picture of the life that really does seem to be one of struggling through quicksand that closes over the man struggling for a win, just one win, one lucky break.
Who couldn't pity the man desperate to save his marriage:
"I felt like I was campaigning for my re-election, on the verge of being voted out by my single constituent, voted out of her heart by her head."
But he's also definitely annoying, even when on trial:
"Members of the press, going to bed with a new woman is like having to learn a whole new operating system on the first day of work with the boss breathing down your neck. You can quote me on that."
Aldo is very much like the protagonist's father in A Fraction. Verbose, but annoyingly so, he comes out with all kinds of sometimes nonsensical and sometimes brilliant lines, ideas, ways of living. His history is tragic and yet hysterical - could all of these things REALLY happen to one man? You feel for him and want to clobber him at the same time. Are he and Liam truly friends or does he use his police connection in times of trouble?
The fact that Liam is writing a book about Aldo makes this a little 'meta' - Liam is constantly writing down Aldo's witticisms for his book (his 'true vocation'), Aldo sometimes brings out lines purely for Liam's notes. I wondered how much of Aldo was part of the character, and how much part of his own creation for the character of Liam's book.
Slippery like quicksand, the truth of Aldo seems at hand and then slips further away. Can you trust his version of events? Can this really have been his life? A Marx Brothers comedy could mine it for comic gold scenes, though here the tone never turns slapstick but also never plumbs to the darkest depths of the subject matter either. Pathos fills the last segment as Liam takes up the story again and Aldo's whole story is concluded.
I couldn't decide how I felt about this for much of the running length. It felt like a long book. I could have read A Fraction of the Whole forever, this felt more of a chore, though I did appreciate its subtleties more as I reached the end and looked back on Aldo's life from a position of understanding.
It's funny, and you may laugh aloud. It's clever. It's a sprawling history of a fascinating man. It won't be for everyone, but it does reward the reader patient enough to see it through.
Review of an Edelweiss advance copy.
Though it's still pretty marvellous. Narrated in turn by Liam (a policeman) and Aldo, this is the story of, well - Aldo. Even when we read about Liam, it's still all about Aldo. Possibly the world's unluckiest man. We catch glimpses of his accident-ridden past (murder? court case? accident?) and gradually Toltz takes us through Aldo's life, Liam's friendship with him, and we build up a picture of the life that really does seem to be one of struggling through quicksand that closes over the man struggling for a win, just one win, one lucky break.
Who couldn't pity the man desperate to save his marriage:
"I felt like I was campaigning for my re-election, on the verge of being voted out by my single constituent, voted out of her heart by her head."
But he's also definitely annoying, even when on trial:
"Members of the press, going to bed with a new woman is like having to learn a whole new operating system on the first day of work with the boss breathing down your neck. You can quote me on that."
Aldo is very much like the protagonist's father in A Fraction. Verbose, but annoyingly so, he comes out with all kinds of sometimes nonsensical and sometimes brilliant lines, ideas, ways of living. His history is tragic and yet hysterical - could all of these things REALLY happen to one man? You feel for him and want to clobber him at the same time. Are he and Liam truly friends or does he use his police connection in times of trouble?
The fact that Liam is writing a book about Aldo makes this a little 'meta' - Liam is constantly writing down Aldo's witticisms for his book (his 'true vocation'), Aldo sometimes brings out lines purely for Liam's notes. I wondered how much of Aldo was part of the character, and how much part of his own creation for the character of Liam's book.
Slippery like quicksand, the truth of Aldo seems at hand and then slips further away. Can you trust his version of events? Can this really have been his life? A Marx Brothers comedy could mine it for comic gold scenes, though here the tone never turns slapstick but also never plumbs to the darkest depths of the subject matter either. Pathos fills the last segment as Liam takes up the story again and Aldo's whole story is concluded.
I couldn't decide how I felt about this for much of the running length. It felt like a long book. I could have read A Fraction of the Whole forever, this felt more of a chore, though I did appreciate its subtleties more as I reached the end and looked back on Aldo's life from a position of understanding.
It's funny, and you may laugh aloud. It's clever. It's a sprawling history of a fascinating man. It won't be for everyone, but it does reward the reader patient enough to see it through.
Review of an Edelweiss advance copy.
amirezart's review against another edition
5.0
«ریگ روان» به صورت کلی کتاب دشوارتری از «جز از کل» است. نثر سختتری دارد و خواندناش حوصله بیشتری میطلبد. به نظرم این مشقت نسبی فرم که با آن مواجهیم همراستا با سفر قهرمان داستان، آلدو بنجامین است و از این جهت درجای درستی قرار دارد.
دیدن الگوهای مشترک و متقارن بین این دو کتاب که به گفته خود تولتز قرینه (ترس از مرگ در اولی و ترس از زندگی در دومی) هستند، جالب است، مثلا آن نوع پرداخت انتقادی از ورزش در کتاب قبلی، اینجا جایش را به پرداختی انتقادی از هنر داده است. الگوی مشترک دیگر نقش محوری کتابهای درون داستان است: همانطور که در داستان قبلی «کتاب راهنمای تبهکاری» نقش اساسی ایفا میکرد در اینجا کتاب «هنرمند درون، هنرمند برون» و «جنازه وسواسی» نقش اساسی ایفا میکنند و به قدری ظریف پرداخت شده و شخصیتها به آن ارجاع میدهند که باورش سخت است که این کتابها در دنیای واقعی وجود ندارند!
در «جز از کل» مسئله اصلی ترس از مرگ است و از قضا مرگ های زیادی در داستان رخ میدهد اما در «ریگ روان» مسئله اصلی ترس از زندگی است و بیشتر با نمردن طرف هستیم.
در نهایت باید گفت که حلقه مخاطبان این کتاب قطعا کوچکتر از «جز از کل» است ولی خواندن آن را به کسانی که قلم تولتز را دوست دارند توصیه میکنم.
دیدن الگوهای مشترک و متقارن بین این دو کتاب که به گفته خود تولتز قرینه (ترس از مرگ در اولی و ترس از زندگی در دومی) هستند، جالب است، مثلا آن نوع پرداخت انتقادی از ورزش در کتاب قبلی، اینجا جایش را به پرداختی انتقادی از هنر داده است. الگوی مشترک دیگر نقش محوری کتابهای درون داستان است: همانطور که در داستان قبلی «کتاب راهنمای تبهکاری» نقش اساسی ایفا میکرد در اینجا کتاب «هنرمند درون، هنرمند برون» و «جنازه وسواسی» نقش اساسی ایفا میکنند و به قدری ظریف پرداخت شده و شخصیتها به آن ارجاع میدهند که باورش سخت است که این کتابها در دنیای واقعی وجود ندارند!
در «جز از کل» مسئله اصلی ترس از مرگ است و از قضا مرگ های زیادی در داستان رخ میدهد اما در «ریگ روان» مسئله اصلی ترس از زندگی است و بیشتر با نمردن طرف هستیم.
در نهایت باید گفت که حلقه مخاطبان این کتاب قطعا کوچکتر از «جز از کل» است ولی خواندن آن را به کسانی که قلم تولتز را دوست دارند توصیه میکنم.
jonpaczkowski's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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
3.5
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
2.0
Flashes of brilliance, hammered with what felt like a slightly desperate hand, into a plot that wandered about looking for a reason for being. Having waded through to the end, wasn't at all surprised to find Liam confessing to being an aspiring author totally bored by plot. Take that as a tongue in cheek explanation from the real life author and you might be more inclined to forgive.
bianca89279's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Steve Tolz’s previous novel was highly praised by many and it is on my very long to-be-read list; so, I had to request his latest when I noticed it on NetGalley. Thanks to Simon&Schuster for the opportunity to read and review Quicksand.
This was an unusual novel, like nothing I’ve ever read before. I’m not even sure if I liked it or not.
It’s the story of two unlikely friends: Liam, a failed writer and policeman and Aldo, a very unlucky man, who’s more of a criminal entrepreneur. They’ve been friends since highschool.
Quicksand was an interesting read. On many occasions, I thought “this is brilliant”. There is a lot of humour, mostly dark. Aldo’s fast-paced quips are entertaining and depressing at the same time. He’s a master nihilist. True, life hasn’t been very kind to him.
Unfortunately, on too many occasions I felt disengaged, and I had to concentrate to keep up either with some of Aldo’s never-ending musings or the very detailed and mundane descriptions of inconsequent life snippets, that were going nowhere in particular. I thought some of the chapters could have done with some polishing and, especially, condensing.
There were lots of witty observations. I wish I’d highlighted some of them. "I'm nobody's muse" comes to mind.
Quicksand was dazzling and very infuriating at the same time. It was humours and also depressing. It was fast paced but also slow churning. At times I loved it; sometimes I struggled.
It’s obvious that Steve Tolz is a brilliant writer. I'm somewhat annoyed that I didn’t enjoy this novel more. It has so much potential but didn’t quite pull it off.
I’m very intrigued by Steve Tolz’s writing. I can’t wait to read A Fraction of the Whole.
Recommended: Sure, but it's not a book that would appeal to everyone.
Cover: 3.5 stars
Steve Tolz’s previous novel was highly praised by many and it is on my very long to-be-read list; so, I had to request his latest when I noticed it on NetGalley. Thanks to Simon&Schuster for the opportunity to read and review Quicksand.
This was an unusual novel, like nothing I’ve ever read before. I’m not even sure if I liked it or not.
It’s the story of two unlikely friends: Liam, a failed writer and policeman and Aldo, a very unlucky man, who’s more of a criminal entrepreneur. They’ve been friends since highschool.
Quicksand was an interesting read. On many occasions, I thought “this is brilliant”. There is a lot of humour, mostly dark. Aldo’s fast-paced quips are entertaining and depressing at the same time. He’s a master nihilist. True, life hasn’t been very kind to him.
Unfortunately, on too many occasions I felt disengaged, and I had to concentrate to keep up either with some of Aldo’s never-ending musings or the very detailed and mundane descriptions of inconsequent life snippets, that were going nowhere in particular. I thought some of the chapters could have done with some polishing and, especially, condensing.
There were lots of witty observations. I wish I’d highlighted some of them. "I'm nobody's muse" comes to mind.
Quicksand was dazzling and very infuriating at the same time. It was humours and also depressing. It was fast paced but also slow churning. At times I loved it; sometimes I struggled.
It’s obvious that Steve Tolz is a brilliant writer. I'm somewhat annoyed that I didn’t enjoy this novel more. It has so much potential but didn’t quite pull it off.
I’m very intrigued by Steve Tolz’s writing. I can’t wait to read A Fraction of the Whole.
Recommended: Sure, but it's not a book that would appeal to everyone.
Cover: 3.5 stars
samlkg's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed parts of it, but others dragged and seemed drawn out!
canadarick's review against another edition
5.0
I have never laughed so much while reading a book. Dark humour. Brilliant, but not for everyone, which is unfortunate.
eli7eb's review
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
jayden_mccomiskie's review against another edition
5.0
God I wish this guy had more books. Easily, now, my favourite Australian writer. Purely for the fact that when finishing both books, I could easily have started them again. Full of humour, tragedy, shit and piss. I love it.
scratch1976's review against another edition
2.0
Too much. Feels like a conversation between two people trying to outwit each other. Some individually brilliant one liners, ideas that make you laugh out loud but don't hang together as a story.