Scan barcode
posies23's review
5.0
This book surpasses any labels. It's about a writer's quest to uncover the truth about a legendary rock and roll band, but it's also about evil, pursuing your dreams, making choices, doing the right thing, not reliving the past, and just about any other subject under the sun. If you love rock and roll you owe it to yourself to track this one down. It's amazing.
loois's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
benderrodriguez's review
3.0
A (what I imagine) solid portrayal of the era and sentiment but the plot progression felt a little weak and the drastic overuse of dream sequences to relay the protagonist's feelings and thoughts were really tiresome and frustrating. The characters themselves felt solid and well crafted but overall I struggled to be engrossed.
marneyjane's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tani's review
3.0
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I went into this book. I'd never heard of it before it came up on my list of award nominees, and although I've read George R. R. Martin before, it's all been A Song of Ice and Fire, which is a very different beast. What I got wasn't terrible, but for me, it wasn't great.
This book relies pretty heavily on nostalgia, I think. Sandy, the main character, is still very stuck on the sixties, even though this book is set in the nineties (I think). His every action is dictated by that nostalgia, from the relationships he builds, the choices he makes, and the books he writes. To be honest, I wasn't feeling it. I'm an eighties child, so the sixties mean very little to me personally. And I'm not the type to look back at the nineties and reminisce about how much better they were than nowadays. I'm more the type to look forward to the future and anticipate how things are going to be better. So, I really failed to connect to Sandy on that level, and I think that the book suffered for that.
The story itself was fine. It moved pretty quickly and I think it had some good emotional resonance in several of the sections. In particular, the character of Slum and his situation were really affecting for me. I would have liked some more of the fantasy elements, but I'm biased that way. I maybe would have liked to have more insight into some of the characters other than Sandy, as he wasn't exactly someone I was dying to read about.
I did like the ending, the choice that Sandy made, and the way that it resonated through the last chapter. Still, the entire experience was rather lackluster for me. It's definitely a book that I'm glad to be done reading.
This book relies pretty heavily on nostalgia, I think. Sandy, the main character, is still very stuck on the sixties, even though this book is set in the nineties (I think). His every action is dictated by that nostalgia, from the relationships he builds, the choices he makes, and the books he writes. To be honest, I wasn't feeling it. I'm an eighties child, so the sixties mean very little to me personally. And I'm not the type to look back at the nineties and reminisce about how much better they were than nowadays. I'm more the type to look forward to the future and anticipate how things are going to be better. So, I really failed to connect to Sandy on that level, and I think that the book suffered for that.
The story itself was fine. It moved pretty quickly and I think it had some good emotional resonance in several of the sections. In particular, the character of Slum and his situation were really affecting for me. I would have liked some more of the fantasy elements, but I'm biased that way. I maybe would have liked to have more insight into some of the characters other than Sandy, as he wasn't exactly someone I was dying to read about.
I did like the ending, the choice that Sandy made, and the way that it resonated through the last chapter. Still, the entire experience was rather lackluster for me. It's definitely a book that I'm glad to be done reading.
tamdot's review
3.0
Neat concept that's well executed and attention getting up until the climax, which somehow felt weak.
sandin954's review against another edition
2.0
I have really enjoyed other works by this author but found this book a bit underwhelming. I did not really connect with any of the characters and thought the plot, which held a lot of promise, just did not deliver the bang or chills that I expected.
purghy's review
4.0
It's an amazing, unknown for many, side of George R R Martin. I recommend this book to those who love the '60s and '70s, who grew up with Doors, Hendrix, Creedence, Floyd and Joplin, who have posters with Woodstock beside their vinyl records, who have guitar riffs, fantasy lyrics, love and drums solos in their hearts, who dream about the good old days. These are the only reasons I recommend this book. Because GRR Martin is one hell of a hippy! If you have these in your soul you will like this book.
gsatori's review
2.0
This is why Generation X and beyond threw up their hands and turned their backs on the Baby Boomers. This novel is one long whine. It is nothing more than over indulgent nostalgia wrapped in self Importance. Thank god George R. R. Martin turned to high fantasy, that's where he excels. Martin states this was his fourth novel and it almost ruined him. I can see why.