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uvahoogirl's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
sprainedbrain's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aneides's review against another edition
2.0
2.5*
As an actor, Duchovny is mediocre, albeit attractive and fun to watch. As a novelist, well, hey--at least publishers still include a jacket photo.
That was catty. I didn't hate the book and I thought the premise was quite interesting.
Surprisingly (for such a huge fan of gods and monsters) I have little knowledge of Celtic mythology. A bit more background in Irish folklore would have probably helped with comprehension of this book, and certainly would have enhanced the appreciation of same. That's on me, I suppose, although I don't think I'm alone in this particular educational deficit.
This book is high-concept but with shaky execution. When you're writing something with such lofty literary aspirations, you'd damn well better stick the landing or you'll sound insufferably pretentious. Alas. I also could not relate to the protagonist which is a shame because she didn't seem like a bad sort, she just didn't seem to have much character. Maybe the author was going for an "everywoman" thing. It didn't work for me--I'd rather have disliked a protagonist that seemed more like a person. Also, there was a pretty continual chorus of "show don't tell" echoing through my skull as I read this book.
And--a pleasant surprise--Duchovny did not use this novel as an excuse to rhapsodize about New York City. The city was definitely a character but its presence was not obnoxiously overstated. Thank the gods.
As an actor, Duchovny is mediocre, albeit attractive and fun to watch. As a novelist, well, hey--at least publishers still include a jacket photo.
That was catty. I didn't hate the book and I thought the premise was quite interesting.
Surprisingly (for such a huge fan of gods and monsters) I have little knowledge of Celtic mythology. A bit more background in Irish folklore would have probably helped with comprehension of this book, and certainly would have enhanced the appreciation of same. That's on me, I suppose, although I don't think I'm alone in this particular educational deficit.
This book is high-concept but with shaky execution. When you're writing something with such lofty literary aspirations, you'd damn well better stick the landing or you'll sound insufferably pretentious. Alas. I also could not relate to the protagonist which is a shame because she didn't seem like a bad sort, she just didn't seem to have much character. Maybe the author was going for an "everywoman" thing. It didn't work for me--I'd rather have disliked a protagonist that seemed more like a person. Also, there was a pretty continual chorus of "show don't tell" echoing through my skull as I read this book.
And--a pleasant surprise--Duchovny did not use this novel as an excuse to rhapsodize about New York City. The city was definitely a character but its presence was not obnoxiously overstated. Thank the gods.
girlvsplanet's review
5.0
I loved it! David Duchovny's best novel so far. I hope he keeps writing more. It's interesting how each of the books he's written is so different.
This is a wonderful telling of Irish mythology. I feel like to even go into the story too much would spoil it. The mixing of mystical elements with reality is done very well, and that's one thing I'm critical of in stories like this. I think it's a fine line to walk to create a balance between the fantastic and what we know is reality. It's easy to get so far over to the other side that you just encounter too much disconnect, but without enough mystical elements, why include any at all? Duchovny does a good job finding that balance.
I found it kind of Neil Gaiman-esque, and I consider that a good thing, as I love Gaiman's work. He's one of the best storytellers of our time, and I feel like if he keeps it up and gains a following, Duchovny could be among those as well.
This is a wonderful telling of Irish mythology. I feel like to even go into the story too much would spoil it. The mixing of mystical elements with reality is done very well, and that's one thing I'm critical of in stories like this. I think it's a fine line to walk to create a balance between the fantastic and what we know is reality. It's easy to get so far over to the other side that you just encounter too much disconnect, but without enough mystical elements, why include any at all? Duchovny does a good job finding that balance.
I found it kind of Neil Gaiman-esque, and I consider that a good thing, as I love Gaiman's work. He's one of the best storytellers of our time, and I feel like if he keeps it up and gains a following, Duchovny could be among those as well.
ghahn3's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Starts snarky and ends up rather sweet.
elizabethja's review
4.0
I put off reading David Duchovny because I assumed he was only published because of his name. But I saw his latest reviewed on LitHub, looked up his other books and found this for cheap on Amazon, so gave it a chance. Turns out, Duchovny was published because he can write! (And yeah, okay, I'm sure also because of the name, but...!)
But I really enjoyed this, it was just what I was in the mood for...funny, mysterious, quirky, but not at the quirkiness level of American Gods, which I've never been able to get more than a few pages into. Really, this was a joy to read.
But I really enjoyed this, it was just what I was in the mood for...funny, mysterious, quirky, but not at the quirkiness level of American Gods, which I've never been able to get more than a few pages into. Really, this was a joy to read.
books_n_pickles's review
5.0
4.5/5 stars, if I could.
I came around to this one after some initial misgivings, and I'm so glad I did. It was a little tough getting through the first couple chapters, when I felt like the male author was breathing down my neck going, "Look how well I can write a female character!" But Emer came into her own during the quickly-arriving second part, and apart from a few paragraphs with a whiff of male self-congratulation, the characterization was absolutely wonderful.
I'm not familiar with the myth of Emer and Cuchalain (I'm deliberately not looking it up until I've posted this), but the book is divided into three parts that are essentially alternate universes. Duchovny does an excellent job of tying these together--Emer feels authentic and real across all three sections, definitely shaped differently by the circumstances in each reality, but also definitely the same person. It's an impressive feat that, unfortunately, doesn't feel quite as successful for her love interest, Con.
I have to admit that the description made me hope for something a little bit like [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462924585s/30165203.jpg|1970226]/[b:Neverwhere|14497|Neverwhere (London Below, #1)|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348747943s/14497.jpg|16534] in New York, but less heavy-handed on the fantasy. I knew it wouldn't be fair to expect a book to rise to the level of Gaiman, and that's okay. Not every seemingly throwaway element pops back up later as an unexpectedly critical plot point, and there are a few dreamy sequences that don't seem to have much purpose beyond providing a metaphor for an obscure old world god among us. Gaiman feels gritty and definitely fantastic and impossible; Miss Subways feels dreamy and softer and magical (probably why people have shelved it "magical realism"). And it's honestly lovely that way.
I'm a little worried that this description sounds too critical. I really enjoyed the book and would even have loved a whole book about Emer's ordinary-ish second life--as a kindergarten teacher with a fun and out-there friend, a boss who's kind of scary but also pretty awesome, a dad who's ageing less than gracefully, and a life with its quirks and glimmers of magic among the ordinary. Emer is really a great character, quietly hilarious, self-aware without taking herself too seriously. Duchovny seems to do characterization very well, and I hope I have a chance to experience more of his work...if my massive reading list ever allows.
Quote Round-Up
I mostly marked little familiar-feeling slice-of-life scenes, so not too many quotes this time.
110)
"A bird! As in English-speak for 'girl'? You're one of us now? Welcome to the team!"
"No, a bird bird."
"Oh, like Polly Wanna Cracker?"
"More like that, yeah. A baby crow I rescued from the street."
"So are we talking about sex? At all?"
"Nope. Bird. Corvus, I call him."
"Well, that's pretentious."
"C'est moi."
"I'm pretty sure this is the wrong direction. But at least he's black."
This is exactly why I could read a whole book about Emer's second, "ordinary" life. I feel like this is somewhere between the life I lead and the life I'd like to lead. That's probably pretty pretentious, myself.
270)Late in the book, but not a spoiler, I promise.
She was stopped and pigeonholed by a few upperclassmen, former students who wanted to show off how mature they'd become. Though it was mildly unsettling when the fifteen-year-old boys wanted to flirt harmlessly with their passably hot former grande school teacher, calling her by her first name or using "Ms. Emer" with sly imprecise irony, Emer knew they simply yearned for acknowledgement as the men they'd become, or were becoming. Emer understood it was her duty to mirror their masculinity back to them without confusing them with any actual intent, crossing any lines, or blurring any boundaries. She knew how to do it, how to act slightly abashed yet impressed at their literally sophomoric innuendo.
This was one of those sections where I felt torn between a sense of authenticity and hyper-awareness that this female character is being written by a male author. Definitely familiar-felling analysis, but more clinical than complex-emotional. It ends up just feeling odd and conflicting.
(Skimming through my noted quotes, I do worry that the pop-culture references may date this book quickly.)
I came around to this one after some initial misgivings, and I'm so glad I did. It was a little tough getting through the first couple chapters, when I felt like the male author was breathing down my neck going, "Look how well I can write a female character!" But Emer came into her own during the quickly-arriving second part, and apart from a few paragraphs with a whiff of male self-congratulation, the characterization was absolutely wonderful.
I'm not familiar with the myth of Emer and Cuchalain (I'm deliberately not looking it up until I've posted this), but the book is divided into three parts that are essentially alternate universes. Duchovny does an excellent job of tying these together--Emer feels authentic and real across all three sections, definitely shaped differently by the circumstances in each reality, but also definitely the same person. It's an impressive feat that, unfortunately, doesn't feel quite as successful for her love interest, Con.
I have to admit that the description made me hope for something a little bit like [b:American Gods|30165203|American Gods|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462924585s/30165203.jpg|1970226]/[b:Neverwhere|14497|Neverwhere (London Below, #1)|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348747943s/14497.jpg|16534] in New York, but less heavy-handed on the fantasy. I knew it wouldn't be fair to expect a book to rise to the level of Gaiman, and that's okay. Not every seemingly throwaway element pops back up later as an unexpectedly critical plot point, and there are a few dreamy sequences that don't seem to have much purpose beyond providing a metaphor for an obscure old world god among us. Gaiman feels gritty and definitely fantastic and impossible; Miss Subways feels dreamy and softer and magical (probably why people have shelved it "magical realism"). And it's honestly lovely that way.
I'm a little worried that this description sounds too critical. I really enjoyed the book and would even have loved a whole book about Emer's ordinary-ish second life--as a kindergarten teacher with a fun and out-there friend, a boss who's kind of scary but also pretty awesome, a dad who's ageing less than gracefully, and a life with its quirks and glimmers of magic among the ordinary. Emer is really a great character, quietly hilarious, self-aware without taking herself too seriously. Duchovny seems to do characterization very well, and I hope I have a chance to experience more of his work...if my massive reading list ever allows.
Quote Round-Up
I mostly marked little familiar-feeling slice-of-life scenes, so not too many quotes this time.
110)
"A bird! As in English-speak for 'girl'? You're one of us now? Welcome to the team!"
"No, a bird bird."
"Oh, like Polly Wanna Cracker?"
"More like that, yeah. A baby crow I rescued from the street."
"So are we talking about sex? At all?"
"Nope. Bird. Corvus, I call him."
"Well, that's pretentious."
"C'est moi."
"I'm pretty sure this is the wrong direction. But at least he's black."
This is exactly why I could read a whole book about Emer's second, "ordinary" life. I feel like this is somewhere between the life I lead and the life I'd like to lead. That's probably pretty pretentious, myself.
270)Late in the book, but not a spoiler, I promise.
She was stopped and pigeonholed by a few upperclassmen, former students who wanted to show off how mature they'd become. Though it was mildly unsettling when the fifteen-year-old boys wanted to flirt harmlessly with their passably hot former grande school teacher, calling her by her first name or using "Ms. Emer" with sly imprecise irony, Emer knew they simply yearned for acknowledgement as the men they'd become, or were becoming. Emer understood it was her duty to mirror their masculinity back to them without confusing them with any actual intent, crossing any lines, or blurring any boundaries. She knew how to do it, how to act slightly abashed yet impressed at their literally sophomoric innuendo.
This was one of those sections where I felt torn between a sense of authenticity and hyper-awareness that this female character is being written by a male author. Definitely familiar-felling analysis, but more clinical than complex-emotional. It ends up just feeling odd and conflicting.
(Skimming through my noted quotes, I do worry that the pop-culture references may date this book quickly.)
readbyashleyd's review
5.0
This book completely blew me away! Its beautiful and haunting and gave me serious The Shadow of the Wind vibes. And that is an incredible compliment to this book! I was a little sceptical about reading a book written by Duchovny but my scepticism was incredibly misplaced, this is one hell of a story! I was instantly sucked into it from the very first page, it really just sinks its hooks into you and drags you along for the most pleasant, magical ride. This book is funny and dark and enchanting and gritty and just do yourself a favour and read this book!