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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Time is a goon, but specifically for the way this book has aged beyond its heyday as an MFA darling. Masterfully constructed short stories with striking prose which I found difficult to enjoy beyond the form. Thematically couldn’t get much mileage out of it.
slow-paced
Very polarizing in the reviews, but I enjoyed it a lot, perhaps because I didn't let the Pulitzer Prize set any expectations, I didn't read any reviews in advance, and I didn't mind the time and narrator shifting narratives that served as chapters.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this book was somewhat hit or miss. some of the storylines were more compelling than others, but when the chapters/stories worked for me, they REALLY worked. it probably would've been four stars, except I found the last chapter to be especially disappointing ... I wanted more from it. though I think I understand what egan wanted to do (to thrust the reader into the future, in a book so deeply rooted in and obsessed with the past), the construction of the "future" world felt flimsy and a bit cringeworthy, which I found hard to overlook.
there are some really beautiful passages in this book, though, and overall, I think it's definitely worth the read!
there are some really beautiful passages in this book, though, and overall, I think it's definitely worth the read!
I loved how every chapter was written by a different person! (Almost I think. I think we revisit a couple of people, but they are few and far between.)
I especially loved the powerpoint chapter.
Definitely worth a read.
I especially loved the powerpoint chapter.
Definitely worth a read.
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To say that I wasn't blown out of the water by this book is an understatement. A 'novel in stories' is how I've heard it described. I think that if I had kept that in mind while reading the book, it would have gelled a little more for me. While I was reading it, it felt a little disjointed - like it lacked structure. But then I reached the end and couldn't stop thinking about the stories and the characters - which is after all, what a good book should do. I ended up reflecting on life, aging, and many other things after reading this novel. And worse yet, I find myself bringing parts of it up with friends who've also read it. Putting my initial frustration aside, this is a bood well worth reading.
Time flies when you're getting old. Or something like that. In the meantime, this book was really good and then I read the PowerPoint chapter (totally NOT a spoiler because everyone is talking about it) and then it became VERY GOOD. Someone described this book as post-postmodern, which at the time I thought was pretty pretentious, but after thinking about it for a bit, seems fairly accurate.
Anyways, aging sucks and we're all going to die. But before you do, read this book.
Anyways, aging sucks and we're all going to die. But before you do, read this book.