Scan barcode
aalessi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thatthomas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
jimmypat's review against another edition
4.0
Flicker is just as creepy and compelling as it was when I read it 20 years ago. In some ways I found it even more unsettling - it gets pretty graphic and its view of the world isn’t always hopeful. But, it’s one of those books (like Foucault’s Pendulum) where you follow the hero into a confusing but highly exciting labyrinth of “the secret history of the world.” Recommended.
triungel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
litwrite's review against another edition
3.0
Uneven start, great build up, leading to an unfortunately flaccid ending. I love this genre and dove straight into both [b:Syndrome E|13589136|Syndrome E|Franck Thilliez|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337193592s/13589136.jpg|14360342] and [b:Night Film|18770398|Night Film|Marisha Pessl|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397425352s/18770398.jpg|15182838], and while this book had a lot of strengths including the depth of research, the ending just noped the book right out for me. How disappointing, I had heard some great things about this one.
alexfromatlanta's review against another edition
5.0
I did not see this book coming. At all. It starts simply enough as a fictional story about a young man discovering the beauty and artistry of film, then becoming particularly engrossed in the work of an obscure German director, Max Castle. As the story progresses, our protagonist grows and learns, traveling deeper and deeper into a trench of mystery that gives way to a secret religious order, an underground conspiracy to corrupt mankind and subtle manipulations of some of the most famous films of all time.
On the whole, the story is compelling and interesting, despite my having no previous experience with classic film. It reads like a high-end Davinci Code but is built with both greater complexity and subtlety. I was particularly impressed with the author's creation of a fictional school of French critical film theory, uniting neuroscience and structuralism. Even as the protagonist is at odds with the theory's main proponent, one can't deny that it isn't a compelling theory.
And the interweaving of very real gnostic doctrine with film is artfully accomplished. By the time the author reveals the secret agenda of sinister hands, the pieces fit together so well you almost feel dumb for having missed it.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book covers the entire career of the protagonist at near breakneck speed but still clocks in at over 600 pages. So I began to despair when I entered the 500's with still no resolution in sight. With so little room left to work with, the story collapses on itself in the end. The last 50 pages or so serve no purpose other than to wrap the story up and make a last desperate case for both the genius of the, at this point almost mythical, Max Castle and the malignancy of the principal antagonists. The reader is left with a feeling of despair and impotence in the face of a potentially global threat. I recognize that this could certainly be by design, reflecting the inner workings of so many of the films detailed in the story, but still, I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
On the whole, the story is compelling and interesting, despite my having no previous experience with classic film. It reads like a high-end Davinci Code but is built with both greater complexity and subtlety. I was particularly impressed with the author's creation of a fictional school of French critical film theory, uniting neuroscience and structuralism. Even as the protagonist is at odds with the theory's main proponent, one can't deny that it isn't a compelling theory.
And the interweaving of very real gnostic doctrine with film is artfully accomplished. By the time the author reveals the secret agenda of sinister hands, the pieces fit together so well you almost feel dumb for having missed it.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book covers the entire career of the protagonist at near breakneck speed but still clocks in at over 600 pages. So I began to despair when I entered the 500's with still no resolution in sight. With so little room left to work with, the story collapses on itself in the end. The last 50 pages or so serve no purpose other than to wrap the story up and make a last desperate case for both the genius of the, at this point almost mythical, Max Castle and the malignancy of the principal antagonists. The reader is left with a feeling of despair and impotence in the face of a potentially global threat. I recognize that this could certainly be by design, reflecting the inner workings of so many of the films detailed in the story, but still, I'm a sucker for a happy ending.
xrevacholiere's review against another edition
1.0
High hopes & enthusiasm for this book, so my disappointment was all the more lancing when I realised the tasteful film references weren't good enough substitutes for better prose.
mehrangezmr's review against another edition
1.0
I GIVE UP. This book started out excellent, in a pulp fiction-y page-turning guilty-pleasure kind of way; really atmospheric and interesting. I was loving it. But about halfway through, it degenerates into nonsensical 'global conspiracy' crack which is totally stupid and unconvincing. The female characters are entirely filtered through whether the main character wants to bang them or not, even in the case of his first girlfriend who is supposed to be a kind of intellectual mentor. It's very sexist in an old-fashioned way, and leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Also, the subject matter just gets more and more disgusting. I had to quit reading this book when I got to the part about Simon Dunckle and his revolting movies. Blech.
the_bfool's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5