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ixjewell's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
cakereads's review against another edition
3.0
picked this up randomly in a book grocer during my march trip to melbourne because it was $12 for a hardcover and the blurb was intriguing. quite a poignant read - i enjoyed it.
desirosie's review against another edition
3.0
What an interesting and strange book. There were many odd elements in Brok's first book, and this one took the strange and really ran with them.
Really, this is centered around his experience of trying to make sense of his wife's illness and death in the context of his own understanding of consciousness and existence. It was fascinating, even if it was hard to follow at times.
Really, this is centered around his experience of trying to make sense of his wife's illness and death in the context of his own understanding of consciousness and existence. It was fascinating, even if it was hard to follow at times.
brggs11's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe should have given this a 4. Overall I really enjoyed the book.
Very interesting discussions on a variety of topics related to neuropsychology and the overlapping philosophy of mind and consciousness, which is intertwined with some Greek mythology and the author’s personal narratives and reflections on life, love, impermanence, coincidence, grief, and finding a sense of satisfaction and coexistence with many of humans’ most fundamental but perhaps most unanswerable questions about the nature of the universe/their existence.
Having said that, the book doesn’t get too, too deep in any one of those areas, and it might be more accurate that it glides across them. The author comes with a heavy science background, which keeps the writing pretty grounded, for better or worse depending on what you’re looking for I suppose.
Three stars, I think, because some parts of the book were more hit or miss in terms of my desire to keep turning the pages. But the more enjoyable parts collectively made the whole book worth pushing through and finishing.
Very interesting discussions on a variety of topics related to neuropsychology and the overlapping philosophy of mind and consciousness, which is intertwined with some Greek mythology and the author’s personal narratives and reflections on life, love, impermanence, coincidence, grief, and finding a sense of satisfaction and coexistence with many of humans’ most fundamental but perhaps most unanswerable questions about the nature of the universe/their existence.
Having said that, the book doesn’t get too, too deep in any one of those areas, and it might be more accurate that it glides across them. The author comes with a heavy science background, which keeps the writing pretty grounded, for better or worse depending on what you’re looking for I suppose.
Three stars, I think, because some parts of the book were more hit or miss in terms of my desire to keep turning the pages. But the more enjoyable parts collectively made the whole book worth pushing through and finishing.
ken_bookhermit's review against another edition
4.0
I took copious notes from this beautiful book, mostly of the literary references to Greek myth, but also of neuro/psychology terms and theories because it excites me, thinking of talking about these things to my psych nerd of a partner. The question, What is the point of living? followed by, How best to live? will haunt me for the rest. Also, there's a push to make me read Camus, and I'm just hoping it won't make me spiral.
Without this text, I don't know how I would have encountered things like, Capgras Delusion Syndrome, Cotard's Syndrome, and a variety of neuropsychological concerns. I didn't even know I'm all that into neuropsychology, at least, not until this book explores the connection of the mind and the self. I'm sure there's a lot of books expounding on that; it just doesn't express it under the framework of grief.
All I can really say is that, when I first started reading this in a bubble tea shop while waiting for my brother to finish getting a massage, I got too choked up after reading the prologue and the first few pages of chapter one. Why? I don't know. But it might have to do with the realization over the fact that my grief over my father's death has to do with my mother losing her husband as opposed to me losing my father. Weird, right?
Without this text, I don't know how I would have encountered things like, Capgras Delusion Syndrome, Cotard's Syndrome, and a variety of neuropsychological concerns. I didn't even know I'm all that into neuropsychology, at least, not until this book explores the connection of the mind and the self. I'm sure there's a lot of books expounding on that; it just doesn't express it under the framework of grief.
All I can really say is that, when I first started reading this in a bubble tea shop while waiting for my brother to finish getting a massage, I got too choked up after reading the prologue and the first few pages of chapter one. Why? I don't know. But it might have to do with the realization over the fact that my grief over my father's death has to do with my mother losing her husband as opposed to me losing my father. Weird, right?
hooked_on_books's review
4.0
I was interested in reading this book because of my response to Sager's first book, Final Girls. Specifically, I didn't much enjoy the first half of final girls because I felt the description told me the entire plot. Only after the halfway mark did I enjoy that book. So, I read this book without reading the publisher's description and am somewhat disappointed. Reading the description after having read the book, I see again that it gives away far too much of the plot. My conclusion is that Sager doesn't really provide much plot, just a lot of writing to prop up what little plot is there, smoke in mirrors to try to get you thinking along the wrong path, and a twist ending that you never saw coming because it was never offered. Ultimately, it felt a bit too much like melodrama to me. I mostly enjoyed reading this second book, but I do not think I will reach for this author in the future. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
verycoolsarah's review
2.0
I got to read this book before its publication date due to the First to Read program hosted by Penguin Random House which gives readers digital galleys to read and review!
I just want to preface this review by saying it's very rare for me to not finish a book. Unfortunately, The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars by Paul Broks was one of those rare books. One has to be impressed by how daunting of a task Broks took on when deciding to write a book focusing on the human consciousness, however, being an individual with very little knowledge on the theories of human consciousness, I frequently got lost in what felt like endless rambling. The book frequently shifts topic, even during the duration of a short chapter, oscillating from topics such as cancer to Greek mythology to neuropsychologist friends of Broks, making the thoughts remarkably hard to follow and learn from. As opposed to feeling like a conversation with the reader, The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars feels like a forced lecture for a class you didn't take the prerequisites for. I also felt as though the drawings scattered throughout the book, although beautiful, added very little and at often points simply confused me more. I really wanted to enjoy this book and perhaps somebody who is more knowledgeable in how the brain works would, but it was simply not my cup of tea.
For this review and more, check out my instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/eventually.excavating/
I just want to preface this review by saying it's very rare for me to not finish a book. Unfortunately, The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars by Paul Broks was one of those rare books. One has to be impressed by how daunting of a task Broks took on when deciding to write a book focusing on the human consciousness, however, being an individual with very little knowledge on the theories of human consciousness, I frequently got lost in what felt like endless rambling. The book frequently shifts topic, even during the duration of a short chapter, oscillating from topics such as cancer to Greek mythology to neuropsychologist friends of Broks, making the thoughts remarkably hard to follow and learn from. As opposed to feeling like a conversation with the reader, The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars feels like a forced lecture for a class you didn't take the prerequisites for. I also felt as though the drawings scattered throughout the book, although beautiful, added very little and at often points simply confused me more. I really wanted to enjoy this book and perhaps somebody who is more knowledgeable in how the brain works would, but it was simply not my cup of tea.
For this review and more, check out my instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/eventually.excavating/
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