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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I'm reading all of David Mitchell's books in a bid to impress Cecily, whose tastes are worlds more refined than mine. Okay, that's only true on one level. More correctly, I wanted to read [b:The Bone Clocks|20819685|The Bone Clocks|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398205538s/20819685.jpg|26959610] and thought it might be fulfilling if I started from the beginning and understood the shared mindspace, if not world of Mitchell's works. Also, I figured by the time I worked my way through the novel backlog, my library would actually have available copies of the newest book.
My track record with recent British Lit, however, is spotty at best. I'm as likely to be annoyed as I am to genuinely enjoy something or at least appreciate it. Therefore, I was shocked by how good [b:Ghostwritten|6819|Ghostwritten|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320415093s/6819.jpg|1094555] was. I couldn't believe he'd written something that was so ambitious, yet cohesive as a first book. It wasn't completely to my taste, but I could admire how well it was executed.
Not so much, number9dream. I was sitting at lunch yesterday, telling my sister about this book, the weaving in and out of dreams, the yakuza, the adventures of Goatwriter and Mrs. Comb, etc., and she interrupted me to ask what on earth he was on. I laughed and told her a number of the GR reviews had asked precisely the same question, and I had wondered if maybe he'd written this first and published second.
Stumbling through the first two chapters, I was beginning to wonder what I was on. I finally felt like I was finding my ground in Chapter 3, more deftly able to sort fact from dream from vision, and then there's Chapter 4, which I wish had been a dream. How can one be so bored and horrified at the same time? That then devolved into Chapter 5 and the stories of Goatwriter, in which I was just bored. I suppose in an "And now for something completely different" standpoint, I liked chapters 6 and 7. Certainly, I finally found a character I genuinely liked in Ai's roommate, Sachiko (Wait, I don't remember if they ever discussed the kanji. Is the love interest's name really "love"?). Then we hit 8, which I get, sort of, I mean, I probably should go back and review that whole conversation with the witch, because I think I perhaps missed something, and then there's 9. ~shakes fist~
Well, at least I get to read [b:Cloud Atlas|49628|Cloud Atlas|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406383769s/49628.jpg|1871423] next.
My track record with recent British Lit, however, is spotty at best. I'm as likely to be annoyed as I am to genuinely enjoy something or at least appreciate it. Therefore, I was shocked by how good [b:Ghostwritten|6819|Ghostwritten|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320415093s/6819.jpg|1094555] was. I couldn't believe he'd written something that was so ambitious, yet cohesive as a first book. It wasn't completely to my taste, but I could admire how well it was executed.
Not so much, number9dream. I was sitting at lunch yesterday, telling my sister about this book, the weaving in and out of dreams, the yakuza, the adventures of Goatwriter and Mrs. Comb, etc., and she interrupted me to ask what on earth he was on. I laughed and told her a number of the GR reviews had asked precisely the same question, and I had wondered if maybe he'd written this first and published second.
Stumbling through the first two chapters, I was beginning to wonder what I was on. I finally felt like I was finding my ground in Chapter 3, more deftly able to sort fact from dream from vision, and then there's Chapter 4, which I wish had been a dream. How can one be so bored and horrified at the same time? That then devolved into Chapter 5 and the stories of Goatwriter, in which I was just bored. I suppose in an "And now for something completely different" standpoint, I liked chapters 6 and 7. Certainly, I finally found a character I genuinely liked in Ai's roommate, Sachiko (Wait, I don't remember if they ever discussed the kanji. Is the love interest's name really "love"?). Then we hit 8, which I get, sort of, I mean, I probably should go back and review that whole conversation with the witch, because I think I perhaps missed something, and then there's 9. ~shakes fist~
Well, at least I get to read [b:Cloud Atlas|49628|Cloud Atlas|David Mitchell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1406383769s/49628.jpg|1871423] next.
ah man...
i guess i couldn't love everything written by Mitchell.
this is the 4th book of his i've read, and by far my least favorite.
it was too 'action-y' and comic-book-y for me. still loads of clever writing, and there was a layer of depth here that you don't find in the usual cyber-punk, comic-book, action-packed sort of books. but it just didn't do it for me.
also, i totally dislike it when books use dreams as metaphors. reading about dreams always bores me, and this was no exception, depsite mitchell's skill. i figured dreams would play heavily in a book with 'dream' in the title, but i held out hope i would still like it. alas, it was just ok.
i did like Eiji, and when the story stayed 'typical,' i liked the book. but whenever Mitchell got into absurd Yakuza action sequences, or fantastical dream sequences, or that weird shit about talking goats and hens, i lost intrest.
i get that those parts are important, and part of what he is trying to say in regards to escapism and coming of age. nevertheless, i wasn't a fan.
i'd give it a 2.5.. it's better than 'ok' but i didn't quite fully 'like' it
i guess i couldn't love everything written by Mitchell.
this is the 4th book of his i've read, and by far my least favorite.
it was too 'action-y' and comic-book-y for me. still loads of clever writing, and there was a layer of depth here that you don't find in the usual cyber-punk, comic-book, action-packed sort of books. but it just didn't do it for me.
also, i totally dislike it when books use dreams as metaphors. reading about dreams always bores me, and this was no exception, depsite mitchell's skill. i figured dreams would play heavily in a book with 'dream' in the title, but i held out hope i would still like it. alas, it was just ok.
i did like Eiji, and when the story stayed 'typical,' i liked the book. but whenever Mitchell got into absurd Yakuza action sequences, or fantastical dream sequences, or that weird shit about talking goats and hens, i lost intrest.
i get that those parts are important, and part of what he is trying to say in regards to escapism and coming of age. nevertheless, i wasn't a fan.
i'd give it a 2.5.. it's better than 'ok' but i didn't quite fully 'like' it
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For some people probably a great book. The main character didn't really show a development until half of the book and was practically just dragged along by events. I'm more of a person that likes characters to actively taking matters into his or her own hand. So, that's why I stopped reading after I finished the first half of the book. Still a decent writing style.
David Mitchell's writing is so gorgeous it's breathtaking. It captivated me from page one.
Eiji's story dips in and out of dreams, and it often isn't clear what is "real" and what is "just in Eiji's head," but I found that didn't matter so much to me. I was content to just soak up Mitchell's beautiful prose.
I loved seeing Eiji grow as a person as the novel progressed, and the characters felt so believable as well. Each of the supporting characters was just as deep and distinct as Eiji and I loved them for it.
Mitchell pairs the grotesque and the beautiful so well, and sometimes the difference between them is muddled and they begin to look one and the same.
Each of Eiji's dreams draws carefully from his previous experiences and offers new insight onto the real events. The storyline returns multiple times to key events in Eiji's past, and each time Eiji (and the reader) examines them from a new angle.
This is definitely my favorite Mitchell so far, and I am beyond excited to pick up more by him.
Eiji's story dips in and out of dreams, and it often isn't clear what is "real" and what is "just in Eiji's head," but I found that didn't matter so much to me. I was content to just soak up Mitchell's beautiful prose.
I loved seeing Eiji grow as a person as the novel progressed, and the characters felt so believable as well. Each of the supporting characters was just as deep and distinct as Eiji and I loved them for it.
Mitchell pairs the grotesque and the beautiful so well, and sometimes the difference between them is muddled and they begin to look one and the same.
Each of Eiji's dreams draws carefully from his previous experiences and offers new insight onto the real events. The storyline returns multiple times to key events in Eiji's past, and each time Eiji (and the reader) examines them from a new angle.
This is definitely my favorite Mitchell so far, and I am beyond excited to pick up more by him.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm really not sure what to say about this book.
The first chapter left me wanting to throw my book against the wall. I didn't understand what was happening at PanOpticon (which I know holds some huge symbolism or significance with the whole prison Chompsky thing and I'm too ignorant to see it). After chapter one ended, I realized that it was full of dream sequences and imaginings. It was like Murakami did a bunch of LSD and wrote a book, in that it was even more fucked up than most Murakami books tend to be.
I ended up just going with it as the book progressed. I didn't try to figure it out and I enjoyed the fast paced rush but got annoyed with the lack of real cohesion.
It was probably a very good book, but after reading and loving Cloud Atlas, I was really hoping for so much more.
The first chapter left me wanting to throw my book against the wall. I didn't understand what was happening at PanOpticon (which I know holds some huge symbolism or significance with the whole prison Chompsky thing and I'm too ignorant to see it). After chapter one ended, I realized that it was full of dream sequences and imaginings. It was like Murakami did a bunch of LSD and wrote a book, in that it was even more fucked up than most Murakami books tend to be.
I ended up just going with it as the book progressed. I didn't try to figure it out and I enjoyed the fast paced rush but got annoyed with the lack of real cohesion.
It was probably a very good book, but after reading and loving Cloud Atlas, I was really hoping for so much more.
I always love David Mitchell's books. This one was very different from some of his others, but still very enjoyable. Kind of whimsical. Don't expect Cloud Atlas!