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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
It's very hard to write a review for a book like this. It's very different.
My first reaction was to give it 3 stars because of the ending. But then I processed it more, and any book that could make me feel the way it did deserves at least 4 stars.
Munmun is a satire - it takes jabs at how the world system works and explains things in silly worlds. It's honest, and oftentimes, oversimplified. Full of anger, unfortunately the story gives in to its own rage and turns more into thug-like plot. I would've enjoyed more positivity infused here and there - it should've listened to its own advise that happiness is available at any size.
Still, the story leaves an imprint - this book definitely won't be forgotten for a long time.
My first reaction was to give it 3 stars because of the ending. But then I processed it more, and any book that could make me feel the way it did deserves at least 4 stars.
Munmun is a satire - it takes jabs at how the world system works and explains things in silly worlds. It's honest, and oftentimes, oversimplified. Full of anger, unfortunately the story gives in to its own rage and turns more into thug-like plot. I would've enjoyed more positivity infused here and there - it should've listened to its own advise that happiness is available at any size.
Still, the story leaves an imprint - this book definitely won't be forgotten for a long time.
An excellent work of satire which beautifully illustrates many of the problems with capitalism in a way that is insightful, enchanting, and highly amusing. While the interesting use of language took a little while to get used to, it was completely worth sticking with it. 0.25 of a star removed due to what seemed to me to be a bit of a weak ending, but would still definitely recommend.
3.5 Stars.
I went in thinking I was going to hate it, but I honestly didn't mind it. The story seemed to wander around without any clear direction, and the smushing together of words annoyed me, but the story was unlike anything else I've ever read (not necessarily a good thing). This book wouldn't be something I would choose to read on my own, but I'm not bitter that I had to read it.
I went in thinking I was going to hate it, but I honestly didn't mind it. The story seemed to wander around without any clear direction, and the smushing together of words annoyed me, but the story was unlike anything else I've ever read (not necessarily a good thing). This book wouldn't be something I would choose to read on my own, but I'm not bitter that I had to read it.
Brilliantly-written satire that is also truly fun to read? Munmun is funny, heartbreaking, strange, and poignant. Andrews uses language to illustrate the lack of literacy of the protagonist, Warner, who is a charming narrator I enjoyed following through the surreal landscape of the Yewess, the setting of the novel, and the dreamworld that serves as a type of shared VR. Andrews lambastes socioeconomic strata and thumbs Warner's littlepoor nose at anyone who would try to pity him.
I have very mixed feelings about this one. I had a hard time connecting with the mIn character, but the audiobook was well narrated and helped draw me in. I'm impressed with the world building, and I think Munmun definitely shows how hard it is for those in poverty to get out of poverty. We"re discussing this at Fountain of Youth ( a book club for Adults who read YA) on Sunday, and I can't wait!
*This review is based on an unedited Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley*
I’m fluctuating between 3.5 and 4 stars with this one. The Borrowers meets A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Gulliver’s Travels meets Noughts and Crosses. It’s quirky and a little bit different and I loved that about it. The first person narrative from the character Warner was endearing and made him rather likeable. I was certainly rooting for him. The plot swept me up and the premise kept me reading. My only qualms were with the length of the book (maybe just a touch too long) and the ending: it left me feeling a little ‘meh’. I do think this book may be a bit of a marmite book for some people. I only like the tiniest bit of marmite on my toast so I neither love it nor hate it which is why this book is like marmite for me!
I’m fluctuating between 3.5 and 4 stars with this one. The Borrowers meets A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Gulliver’s Travels meets Noughts and Crosses. It’s quirky and a little bit different and I loved that about it. The first person narrative from the character Warner was endearing and made him rather likeable. I was certainly rooting for him. The plot swept me up and the premise kept me reading. My only qualms were with the length of the book (maybe just a touch too long) and the ending: it left me feeling a little ‘meh’. I do think this book may be a bit of a marmite book for some people. I only like the tiniest bit of marmite on my toast so I neither love it nor hate it which is why this book is like marmite for me!
The best way I can describe Munmun is as "an acquired taste." You'll know pretty quickly in the first few pages if you can get past the cutesy contrived words or not. (If you find it annoying, know that it does not improve throughout the rest of the story, and possibly even gets worse.) For some people, this will be intriguing, for others, grating.
But if the language doesn't bother you much, it's an okay story, and solid satire. The characters are not exactly well-developed but then they aren't really meant to be, so I can't count that as a strike against them. The internal revelations of the characters (oh, you can't just pull yourself up by your bootstraps if your bootstraps are only 1" long and everyone else's are 12"?) are not surprising to people who are already familiar with issues of inequality relating to income, background, and the school-to-prison pipeline, so for those readers, the book may come across as rehashing a common theme instead of adding something new. For readers who haven't come across these concepts before, or only know the buzzwords and not the meanings, it is a helpful introduction.
Hand to teens and adults who aren't bothered by the language, especially people who haven't thought much about inequality yet, and use it to start a conversation. For everyone else, other resources explain the issues more clearly with proposed real-world solutions instead of revenge-fantasy endings.
But if the language doesn't bother you much, it's an okay story, and solid satire. The characters are not exactly well-developed but then they aren't really meant to be, so I can't count that as a strike against them. The internal revelations of the characters (oh, you can't just pull yourself up by your bootstraps if your bootstraps are only 1" long and everyone else's are 12"?) are not surprising to people who are already familiar with issues of inequality relating to income, background, and the school-to-prison pipeline, so for those readers, the book may come across as rehashing a common theme instead of adding something new. For readers who haven't come across these concepts before, or only know the buzzwords and not the meanings, it is a helpful introduction.
Hand to teens and adults who aren't bothered by the language, especially people who haven't thought much about inequality yet, and use it to start a conversation. For everyone else, other resources explain the issues more clearly with proposed real-world solutions instead of revenge-fantasy endings.
I enjoyed Munmun. It’s really weird and hard to describe, as it is a kind of dystopian/sci-fi/fantasy set in an alternate reality. It is based on the premise that people are as tall as they are rich.
Therefore, a lot of people are ‘rat size’ and some are so big they have to go to the toilet in the ocean.
It’s an odd premise, but due to the characters, you get sucked right in and it does all make sense in many ways. There are more layers to the story than meets the eye.
Therefore, a lot of people are ‘rat size’ and some are so big they have to go to the toilet in the ocean.
It’s an odd premise, but due to the characters, you get sucked right in and it does all make sense in many ways. There are more layers to the story than meets the eye.
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
proposed alternative title: Eat the Rich. Literally.
allseriousnessaside this book was SOMETHING. this concept is definitely something that i have increasingly become more and more interested over time, nodoubt. and the message is yelled across these pages. everything so was just so well thought out and INTERESTING and UNPREDICTABLE. so very unpredictable.
one thing i particularly loved was the way things were written out, forexample eye ee yewess. amazing. thats basically the language of my brain. and i loved the distinction between the lifeanddeath world and dreamworld.
mindboggling all of it. Jesse Andrews, you sir, are a genius.
allseriousnessaside this book was SOMETHING. this concept is definitely something that i have increasingly become more and more interested over time, nodoubt. and the message is yelled across these pages. everything so was just so well thought out and INTERESTING and UNPREDICTABLE. so very unpredictable.
one thing i particularly loved was the way things were written out, forexample eye ee yewess. amazing. thats basically the language of my brain. and i loved the distinction between the lifeanddeath world and dreamworld.
mindboggling all of it. Jesse Andrews, you sir, are a genius.
I so don’t know how to feel about this book. Munmun is an allegorical story about wealth and justice that attacks these topics pretty head on. I like it’s message, it’s meaty but delivered in a simple, quite childlike way.
I did find it a bit of a slog to get through though. The narrator speaks in words that run on justlikethis, - ‘Being littlepoor is notsogood’ and a lot of the language is a sort of bastardised version of English (‘sumpchewus’ = sumptuous, ‘Yewess’ = US) which did well to build the narrative voice and the world, but did make it a trickier read to gloss through. It gave the book quite a juvenile feeling, though the story itself is definitely full of mature content. I guess I would say that I didn’t necessarily enjoy it a lot, but I think it has a lot of value and is a good book - it sort of felt like reading a classic that is in Olde English or something.
There are some absolutely beautiful, lyrical descriptions...
‘... the stovesmoke tickled our lungs and flavoured our skin.’
It asks some big questions...
‘Do I need to live so much that I’m okay with making the world worse?’
And has brilliant imagery...
‘I realised the tunnel was not even me digging, it was just the earth swallowing me whole like a snake.’
All in all I’d say this was a good book! The writing style at times was a little annoying and rambling, but if it hadn’t been that way then the story wouldn’t have been the same. If you’re looking for something that is pretty radically different from other books - this is for you.
I did find it a bit of a slog to get through though. The narrator speaks in words that run on justlikethis, - ‘Being littlepoor is notsogood’ and a lot of the language is a sort of bastardised version of English (‘sumpchewus’ = sumptuous, ‘Yewess’ = US) which did well to build the narrative voice and the world, but did make it a trickier read to gloss through. It gave the book quite a juvenile feeling, though the story itself is definitely full of mature content. I guess I would say that I didn’t necessarily enjoy it a lot, but I think it has a lot of value and is a good book - it sort of felt like reading a classic that is in Olde English or something.
There are some absolutely beautiful, lyrical descriptions...
‘... the stovesmoke tickled our lungs and flavoured our skin.’
It asks some big questions...
‘Do I need to live so much that I’m okay with making the world worse?’
And has brilliant imagery...
‘I realised the tunnel was not even me digging, it was just the earth swallowing me whole like a snake.’
All in all I’d say this was a good book! The writing style at times was a little annoying and rambling, but if it hadn’t been that way then the story wouldn’t have been the same. If you’re looking for something that is pretty radically different from other books - this is for you.