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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Kept me afloat ((((pun intended)))) during trying times. Poetic, striking, unique.
I love Paul Auster, his style, hsi concepts, his prose, all of that. I quite enjoyed Mr. Vertigo as well but it felt a little lazy in terms of its pacing. You had this tight, well structured first act, where we see Walt transform into Walt the Wonder Boy but then after that it seemed like certain events were told too quickly or too much time was spent dwelling on one moment.
Still though, it is a Paul Auster novel, so it is still good.
Still though, it is a Paul Auster novel, so it is still good.
Even though this was I required read for school, I kind of enjoyed this book. I particularly liked the first half, while the second half just didn't do it for me. It was strange, going through time very suddenly and I just didn't like it as much. 3.5 stars for me
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Note to self: stop being skeptical of Paul Auster books when the poor man has done absolutely nothing to make you doubt him at all.
This book was great. A kind of oddball book in unexpected ways, just like the New York Trilogy. In this day and age especially I hesitate to label anything as a "portrait of America" but I wouldn't object to it here: this includes the good the bad and the ugly, and honestly considering how the potential for cringe goes up in direct proportion to how much of a Portrait Of America a book claims to be, this held up pretty well. I liked The New York Trilogy more but then again, I think it was in its way more ambitious as well.
What this actually reminded me of was Summerland, in an odd way. They're extremely different books, but both tell essentially an extended American fairy tale. I think this one succeeds better because it's rawer and uglier, and I think independent of any comparisons it succeeds for the same reasons. This is one of those books I look forward to reading again when I'm smarter and finding more to like about it.
This book was great. A kind of oddball book in unexpected ways, just like the New York Trilogy. In this day and age especially I hesitate to label anything as a "portrait of America" but I wouldn't object to it here: this includes the good the bad and the ugly, and honestly considering how the potential for cringe goes up in direct proportion to how much of a Portrait Of America a book claims to be, this held up pretty well. I liked The New York Trilogy more but then again, I think it was in its way more ambitious as well.
What this actually reminded me of was Summerland, in an odd way. They're extremely different books, but both tell essentially an extended American fairy tale. I think this one succeeds better because it's rawer and uglier, and I think independent of any comparisons it succeeds for the same reasons. This is one of those books I look forward to reading again when I'm smarter and finding more to like about it.
I'm tempted to try flying myself...Everybody can, if they only separate from their old selves. In short, the basic idea facinates me and I loved the narrator. Not sure why I stayed somewhat detached from the suffering characters while i enhjoyed so much reading about them. The ending felt a little hurried, but it's been a fine trip.
All though out this book I was vaguely to see what was going to happen next for the protagonist, but I never felt I would have been very disappointed if I never found out. It was well written but the plot contained no real hook.
It's not a spoiler to say this is a story about a boy who learns to levitate, and then looses that ability - that much is in the blurb. That should have made for a story of wondrous achievement followed by gut wrenching loss but neither emotion is converted at any point in the narrative. The story just trails on, and on.
It's not a spoiler to say this is a story about a boy who learns to levitate, and then looses that ability - that much is in the blurb. That should have made for a story of wondrous achievement followed by gut wrenching loss but neither emotion is converted at any point in the narrative. The story just trails on, and on.
Four stars, until the end, when it went on a breakneck downhill trajectory into moral certitude as well as dependent on a circular narrative arc. Hurry up, boys, we have to tidy this thing up, let's go.
Is this more a problem with me, rather than stories? That at the 3/4 or 7/8 point, the authors run out of paper and start getting nervous?
In any case, it was enjoyable, but in a translucent, visible-skeleton kind of way.
Is this more a problem with me, rather than stories? That at the 3/4 or 7/8 point, the authors run out of paper and start getting nervous?
In any case, it was enjoyable, but in a translucent, visible-skeleton kind of way.