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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
A very few of you might remember my review of Swamplandia!, in which I lamented that I had to write a fairly negative review despite the sheer and impressive beauty of Russell's prose.
This review is the stunted offspring of that one. O'Neill's prose is undeniably lovely, but where Russell lost me with a slightly too odd-and-fantastical plot, O'Neill simply left me trudging through endless paragraphs wondering where they were going (if anywhere).
Read the rest of my review here (with pictures!): http://bravenewbookshelves.blogspot.com/2012/10/never-netherland.html
This review is the stunted offspring of that one. O'Neill's prose is undeniably lovely, but where Russell lost me with a slightly too odd-and-fantastical plot, O'Neill simply left me trudging through endless paragraphs wondering where they were going (if anywhere).
Read the rest of my review here (with pictures!): http://bravenewbookshelves.blogspot.com/2012/10/never-netherland.html
I can't believe this book was only 258 pages. There was so much story packed inside! Also, I'm glad I knew cricket before I started reading.
emotional
reflective
slow-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
A strange one. I felt a bit detached from the main character but I suspect this was deliberate as he feels detached from his own life. This book contains some beautiful writing.
Strange, but compelling story. Beautiful prose, but I also found myself skimming over it when it became too complex/ornate/wordy.
So good. SO GOOD. O'Neill managed to write a book for every "New Yorker"--meaning all of us who have moved here, call it home, get all misty eyed flying back in when you can see the lights of the city from the descent, etc. I have no connection to cricket, London, being Dutch, haunted apartments in Tribeca, the Chelsea Hotel or a son, but everything about this book made me feel like it was written out of the same love that I have for the city.
This is incredible. This book tells me, more than anything, that I am relevant. Best book I read this year.
I am suckered again by a novel described by its own back cover as "exquisitely written." I like things that are exquisite!
But when it comes to books, it seems like "exquisite" is code for "I spent a lot of time being very precise with my word choice while I expound upon not much at all."
So much nothing happened in this book, I had to mark it down in a jiffy before I forget that I've read it and pick it up again.
Boo. But a what-does-it-all-mean-and-who-am-I sort of boo.
But when it comes to books, it seems like "exquisite" is code for "I spent a lot of time being very precise with my word choice while I expound upon not much at all."
So much nothing happened in this book, I had to mark it down in a jiffy before I forget that I've read it and pick it up again.
Boo. But a what-does-it-all-mean-and-who-am-I sort of boo.
Pleasantly surprised by this one! Obama said he's reading it and I really enjoyed it -- not a quick read, but a "deeper" one than what I'd normally pick up.