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2.98 AVERAGE
2.98 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hate to be the person to give a mildly bad review, but I'll admit I'm quite disappointed.
I was intriguided by this book: the paperback edition has a really distinctive feel when you pick it up, the summary is inviting, all seems well.
As I started to read it, I was excited. The style reminded me of Russell Banks'; a lost kid who grew up without real guidance, finally pursuing one of his dreams, on a journey to find himself... You know the type. It is written in first person, which implies a lot of stream of consciousness. That itself isn't a bad thing, and I understand that it a 20 something isn't going to think like a Victorian young man trying to impress his one true love. However... I think that also allowed a few pages of "lazy" writing. The dialogue often falls flat.
You know what did?
The head psychiatrist at a mental hospital, who is made to say that the protagonist suffers from (you guessed it) "schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, bipolar disorder." (p.168).
All it takes is ONE GOOGLE SEARCH to know that MPD has been out of use for at least a decade. The DSM-V refers to that disorder as Dissociative Identity Disorder. And I get it, it is not well known, there is a lot of debate surrounding it... But still, if you are going to write a protagonist who is mentally unstable, how do you casually include a term that is so outdated, when it takes a minute to look it up.
Going to skip over the whole "my alter is trying to take me out" bad trope because honestly at this point I was reading it out of spite.
I am not saying it isn't worth reading. I may have had high expectations for it. I will say though, the album that accompanies this book builds a nice atmosphere for it, although the writing itself is vivid enough.
Anyway... Kudos to you if you've made it this far.
I was intriguided by this book: the paperback edition has a really distinctive feel when you pick it up, the summary is inviting, all seems well.
As I started to read it, I was excited. The style reminded me of Russell Banks'; a lost kid who grew up without real guidance, finally pursuing one of his dreams, on a journey to find himself... You know the type. It is written in first person, which implies a lot of stream of consciousness. That itself isn't a bad thing, and I understand that it a 20 something isn't going to think like a Victorian young man trying to impress his one true love. However... I think that also allowed a few pages of "lazy" writing. The dialogue often falls flat.
Spoiler
The main intrigue of the book can be understood fairly early on, but that doesn't ruin it. You can tell that the narrator and protagonist isn't reliable by the many, not so subtle clues left by the author. Schizophrenia is brought up fairly often, but again, that didn't ruin it for me at all.You know what did?
The head psychiatrist at a mental hospital, who is made to say that the protagonist suffers from (you guessed it) "schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, bipolar disorder." (p.168).
All it takes is ONE GOOGLE SEARCH to know that MPD has been out of use for at least a decade. The DSM-V refers to that disorder as Dissociative Identity Disorder. And I get it, it is not well known, there is a lot of debate surrounding it... But still, if you are going to write a protagonist who is mentally unstable, how do you casually include a term that is so outdated, when it takes a minute to look it up.
Going to skip over the whole "my alter is trying to take me out" bad trope because honestly at this point I was reading it out of spite.
I am not saying it isn't worth reading. I may have had high expectations for it. I will say though, the album that accompanies this book builds a nice atmosphere for it, although the writing itself is vivid enough.
Anyway... Kudos to you if you've made it this far.
2.5 I was expecting a coming of age novel set at a small supermarket, which would have been right up my alley (maybe it's the novel I should write). The book is not awful, and what it is actually about could have been really interesting with better, more focused writing. Interesting premise, but the twist is obvious from almost the very beginning, and the story and prose in general needed more polish. A quick read, fairly enjoyable, I just wished it was better.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-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
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i didn’t want to like this book and the writing style was childlike and embarrassing in many moments but i was so hooked and the book kinda fucked rly hard. also i love the cover so much
Great novel, but creeped me out. I read books in 1-2 sittings and nearing the end of this one, I was questioning my own thoughts, that balance between normalcy and lunacy, reality and disillusions... spooky. The mind is a fragile thing... #Fightclub