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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I kept asking myself why this book does not resonate well with me despite being well-written. He is a very descriptive writer, at times he goes above and beyond in describing every motion of every character which is a bit redundant, and reading through some of the other reviews have found that boring.
The main problem I found with the book was character motivation, which, especially in fantasy, can be the only thing driving the story forward. The characters have very mundane and base motivations, even if they take the said motivations to extremes they are still driven by greed, wrath, and regret. In more than one case they are not driven at all. The only engaging character in the book is Steerpike and that is exactly because of his resolve and the fact that he acts according to what drives him while every other character seems to live inside his/her own head.
The main problem I found with the book was character motivation, which, especially in fantasy, can be the only thing driving the story forward. The characters have very mundane and base motivations, even if they take the said motivations to extremes they are still driven by greed, wrath, and regret. In more than one case they are not driven at all. The only engaging character in the book is Steerpike and that is exactly because of his resolve and the fact that he acts according to what drives him while every other character seems to live inside his/her own head.
It's hard to give this 5 stars when it's the start of a series, but the writing style and the vividness of the characters is just so good. Loved.
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What a strange book. I started reading this book at least twice before finally finishing it. There were moments where I wanted to move on to another book, but then there were moments when Peake had my attention entirely. There were some paragraphs that were very unsettling and some that were baffling. Altogether, this was a dense book, with many brilliant scenes and very strange characters. Not necessarily a book I'd casually recommend to anyone else, but not necessarily a book I'll forget anytime soon.
Saw this recommended on booktube and decided to give it a shot via audiobook. Couldn't get into it even after 15 chapters; may be too slow for modern readers. Might give it another try at some point.
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is my first Mervyn Peake book and I loved it for its darkness, it's wonderful sense of place and what feels like every word in the English language is used to perfection.
The vast expanse of Gormenghast castle and its surrounding lands are steeped in history and tradition. There is an overall feeling of squalor and depression throughout the kingdom and it's inhabitants, which is fascinating and disturbing at the same time.
I love the quirky names and the language they use - particularly the hilarious put-downs and each individual has their own way of conveying themselves.
The only part that I found a little distracting was Keda's character. I know she and her daughter appear later in the series, but I felt too much time was spent on her in the first book.
The vast expanse of Gormenghast castle and its surrounding lands are steeped in history and tradition. There is an overall feeling of squalor and depression throughout the kingdom and it's inhabitants, which is fascinating and disturbing at the same time.
I love the quirky names and the language they use - particularly the hilarious put-downs and each individual has their own way of conveying themselves.
The only part that I found a little distracting was Keda's character. I know she and her daughter appear later in the series, but I felt too much time was spent on her in the first book.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delightfully weird and claustrophobic. This might be one of the strangest little books I've ever read.