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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
It was ok. Three and a half. Author has a great sense of humor but a disjointed style that annoyed me at times. I will probably forget all about this in a month.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of those raved-about books that make me feel like there's something there, somewhere, that I'm not getting.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
No star rating from me as I don’t think I am the right reader for this book. I also listened to it on audio, which makes it so confusing. Funnily, I think that theatre and written literature have more in common than theatre and audio. I found the premise of teacher-student sex off-putting; maybe I am not ready to consume/confront this taboo.
*need to gather my thought before writing this review
Please ignore the vast majority of the two-star reviews, from befuddled people scratching their heads before angrily typing "real people do not talk like that!"
The author is making no pretense of any such thing, and indeed goes to pains very early in the story to make the reader aware of the switching between "reality" and the once-removed version, an examined and heightened performance. Both of these realities resonate with us gentle readers.
As the book progresses, the dance between the versions becomes increasingly tighter. A character's story switches from ordinary to heightened midway through. Even the characters begin to blur into one another.
The point of the book is not to make us unravel every twist -- rather it shows us simultaneously the real and imagined versions of people, the roles and the actors. The writing is wonderful, with plenty of scaldingly funny bits. The saxophone teacher is absolutely hilarious.
For me, this is a definite 5-star book. Everyone please read it. :-)
The author is making no pretense of any such thing, and indeed goes to pains very early in the story to make the reader aware of the switching between "reality" and the once-removed version, an examined and heightened performance. Both of these realities resonate with us gentle readers.
As the book progresses, the dance between the versions becomes increasingly tighter. A character's story switches from ordinary to heightened midway through. Even the characters begin to blur into one another.
The point of the book is not to make us unravel every twist -- rather it shows us simultaneously the real and imagined versions of people, the roles and the actors. The writing is wonderful, with plenty of scaldingly funny bits. The saxophone teacher is absolutely hilarious.
For me, this is a definite 5-star book. Everyone please read it. :-)
reread: february 2017: as interesting and confusing and slightly above itself as the first time
first read: 2014: reading this book felt strange, like it, and me, were hovering in this inbetween space where time passes oddly. it was confusing and clever and full of little lines that made me stop and think and when i finished it i thought about it for a while after.
first read: 2014: reading this book felt strange, like it, and me, were hovering in this inbetween space where time passes oddly. it was confusing and clever and full of little lines that made me stop and think and when i finished it i thought about it for a while after.
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated