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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It is a little unfair of me to write a review of this book since I didn’t finish it. But, I am giving it 4 stars because I’m sure that had I read it through, 4 or even 5 stars would be warranted. At any rate, it’s overdue to the library.
This book is clearly billed as a “novel” when in actuality it’s 10.5 short stories—which is why I didn’t read it all. I am rarely in the mood for short stories, and I wasn’t this time. Nevertheless, the first story in this is the greatest short story I’ve ever read in my life. It was amazing and everyone should read it. Hilarious in fact.
But then I was mostly disinterested in the chapters/stories that followed. I won’t go through the ups and downs of which I liked and which I skimmed. Let’s just say there are threads that tie the pieces together but nothing that would qualify it as a novel in the traditional sense of the word. Generally speaking there are themes of religion vs. science throughout the book. I think the writing is amazing overall and if one were in the mood for shorts, this book would be a hit.
One other chapter that drew me in was “Parenthesis” on the topic of love, although I largely disagreed with his take on it.
“The history of the world? Just voices echoing in the dark; images that burn for a few centuries and then fade; stories, old stories that seem to overlap; strange links, impertinent connections. We lie in our hospital bed of the present (what nice clean sheets we get nowadays) with a bubble of daily news drip-fed into our arm. We think we know who we are, though we don’t quite know why we’re here, or how long we shall be forced to stay. …And while we [wait] we make up a story to cover the facts we don’t know or can’t accept; we keep a few true facts and spin a new story around them. Our panic and our pain are only eased by soothing fabulation; we call it history.” P. 240
This book is clearly billed as a “novel” when in actuality it’s 10.5 short stories—which is why I didn’t read it all. I am rarely in the mood for short stories, and I wasn’t this time. Nevertheless, the first story in this is the greatest short story I’ve ever read in my life. It was amazing and everyone should read it. Hilarious in fact.
But then I was mostly disinterested in the chapters/stories that followed. I won’t go through the ups and downs of which I liked and which I skimmed. Let’s just say there are threads that tie the pieces together but nothing that would qualify it as a novel in the traditional sense of the word. Generally speaking there are themes of religion vs. science throughout the book. I think the writing is amazing overall and if one were in the mood for shorts, this book would be a hit.
One other chapter that drew me in was “Parenthesis” on the topic of love, although I largely disagreed with his take on it.
“The history of the world? Just voices echoing in the dark; images that burn for a few centuries and then fade; stories, old stories that seem to overlap; strange links, impertinent connections. We lie in our hospital bed of the present (what nice clean sheets we get nowadays) with a bubble of daily news drip-fed into our arm. We think we know who we are, though we don’t quite know why we’re here, or how long we shall be forced to stay. …And while we [wait] we make up a story to cover the facts we don’t know or can’t accept; we keep a few true facts and spin a new story around them. Our panic and our pain are only eased by soothing fabulation; we call it history.” P. 240
reflective
It's an entertaining book. Some stories are better, some are okay, but overall it's quite enjoyable.
Good old Barnes. Loved it.
"A fictional history of the world in which stories echo each other as themes deepen and images recur"... BUT WUITH STYLE!
"A fictional history of the world in which stories echo each other as themes deepen and images recur"... BUT WUITH STYLE!
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
Just absolutely loved it and was completely taken by it from the off. Picked it up randomly and so glad I did; favourite chapters being the first, the last, and the court case, but I loved them all. Truly a new favourite
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
The book cover says its a novel...I am through the second chapter and so far it seems like short stories to me
Dit moest niet zo. Openen met een intrigerend origineel verhaal, om dan hoofdstuk per hoofdstuk te vervallen in nieuwe verhalen met vage referenties naar enkele rode draden...
Toegegeven. Enige hoofstukken zijn ronduit geniaal, maar in dit boek zijn de geniale hoofdstukken enkel een prelude voor de teleurstelling die komt met het volgende hoofdstuk. Het bouwt niet op.
Je wou teveel Julian, teveel is niet goed. Uiteindelijk weegt het geheel veel minder door dan de som van delen. Dat kan niet de bedoeling zijn: Je kan een serie kortverhalen maken, of een boek, maar dit is in geen een van beide opzetten geslaagd. Het werd zelfs vermoeiend Julian. Ik verwacht beter van je.. OK? Dankje.
Toegegeven. Enige hoofstukken zijn ronduit geniaal, maar in dit boek zijn de geniale hoofdstukken enkel een prelude voor de teleurstelling die komt met het volgende hoofdstuk. Het bouwt niet op.
Je wou teveel Julian, teveel is niet goed. Uiteindelijk weegt het geheel veel minder door dan de som van delen. Dat kan niet de bedoeling zijn: Je kan een serie kortverhalen maken, of een boek, maar dit is in geen een van beide opzetten geslaagd. Het werd zelfs vermoeiend Julian. Ik verwacht beter van je.. OK? Dankje.