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kalinbullman's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
catherine_80's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
michael5000's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes I wish I was the sort of person who enjoyed this sort of thing more. I mean, it's like Borges! Which as everyone knows, means it must be terrific. But, it's enough like Borges that I find it a bit dull and arid, like Borges.
The title story is the best. Most of the others, heavens, I like the idea of them well enough. Like the one with the fellows in the cave, great premise! I remember it fondly! But when I was actually reading the thing, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open from one sentence to the next. The problem is probably that I'm dumb.
The title story is the best. Most of the others, heavens, I like the idea of them well enough. Like the one with the fellows in the cave, great premise! I remember it fondly! But when I was actually reading the thing, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open from one sentence to the next. The problem is probably that I'm dumb.
juli_drozda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
luschowski's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tsenteme's review against another edition
3.0
Μετά τα δύο πρώτα διηγήματα που ήταν εξαιρετικά, ειδικά το πρώτο που μου θύμησε Σαραμάγκου στις αιρετικές, θρησκευτικού περιεχομένου, ιστορίες του, έχασα το ενδιαφέρον μου.
Η γραφή του απλή, ύφος φιλικό, δεξιοτέχνης του διηγήματος.
Η γραφή του απλή, ύφος φιλικό, δεξιοτέχνης του διηγήματος.
brannigan's review against another edition
3.0
I am a fan of Borges, and much of my MA dissertation focused on the disintegration of the Yugoslav state in the midst of conflicting nationalist rhetoric; imagine my delight when I discovered Kiš.
Sadly, great expectations are usually dashed, and I've just put this volume down feeling a little cold. It's hit and miss - my favourite stories were Simon Magus, the Encyclopedia of the Dead and the Mirror of the Unknown. At best though, these are sub-Borges, mostly lacking Jorge Luis' wit and charm that balanced out the high flying intellectualism. Kiš also seems to be uncomfortable with the out-and-out fantastical: for example, after setting up the wonderfully bibliographic hypothesis that forms the premise of the titular story, he can't help but reveal it all to be a dream at the end. A disappointing cliché.
As for the rest of the stories: forgettable, boring. Entries like the Legend of the Sleepers and the Book of Kings and Fools are bogged down by the stylistic constraints Kiš sets himself - biblical, journalistic, distracting him from the dullness of the overall execution. Other stories seem to reflect thinly veiled personal vendettas, such as Red Stamps with Lenin's Head and the Story of the Master and Disciple. I read that Kiš was in a bitter place during the writing of this collection, recovering from accusations of plagiarism in his previous novel and loving estranged from his wife. Some authors may have used this to artistic advantage, but in Kiš' case it just leaves a sour note.
The collection is not without merit. I enjoyed the recurring themes of death and mythology, and what seems to be Kiš' take on semiotics (stories within stories, unreliable narration, etc.). It has its own important place in the study of nationalisms and their mythologies - for example, Pro Patria Mori is a pithy fable that ruminates on the formation and role of political myth and folk tradition as opposed to 'official' documentation.
As a whole, the stories are interesting on an intellectual level only. The glimpses into fantastical worlds are too reluctant and half-formed to merit favourable comparison with Borges. I may delve more into Kiš, but for now I'll more likely look into other Yugoslav authors of the era.
Sadly, great expectations are usually dashed, and I've just put this volume down feeling a little cold. It's hit and miss - my favourite stories were Simon Magus, the Encyclopedia of the Dead and the Mirror of the Unknown. At best though, these are sub-Borges, mostly lacking Jorge Luis' wit and charm that balanced out the high flying intellectualism. Kiš also seems to be uncomfortable with the out-and-out fantastical: for example, after setting up the wonderfully bibliographic hypothesis that forms the premise of the titular story, he can't help but reveal it all to be a dream at the end. A disappointing cliché.
As for the rest of the stories: forgettable, boring. Entries like the Legend of the Sleepers and the Book of Kings and Fools are bogged down by the stylistic constraints Kiš sets himself - biblical, journalistic, distracting him from the dullness of the overall execution. Other stories seem to reflect thinly veiled personal vendettas, such as Red Stamps with Lenin's Head and the Story of the Master and Disciple. I read that Kiš was in a bitter place during the writing of this collection, recovering from accusations of plagiarism in his previous novel and loving estranged from his wife. Some authors may have used this to artistic advantage, but in Kiš' case it just leaves a sour note.
The collection is not without merit. I enjoyed the recurring themes of death and mythology, and what seems to be Kiš' take on semiotics (stories within stories, unreliable narration, etc.). It has its own important place in the study of nationalisms and their mythologies - for example, Pro Patria Mori is a pithy fable that ruminates on the formation and role of political myth and folk tradition as opposed to 'official' documentation.
As a whole, the stories are interesting on an intellectual level only. The glimpses into fantastical worlds are too reluctant and half-formed to merit favourable comparison with Borges. I may delve more into Kiš, but for now I'll more likely look into other Yugoslav authors of the era.
prerazmisljavanje's review against another edition
5.0
„Sve što živ čovek o smrti može znati.”
Naravno da me nisu sve priče jednako zadivile, niti mi jednako prijale, ali ukupni utisak smešta ovu zbirku maaalko ispred „Novog Jerusalima”.
Naravno da me nisu sve priče jednako zadivile, niti mi jednako prijale, ali ukupni utisak smešta ovu zbirku maaalko ispred „Novog Jerusalima”.