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l_antro_di_anna's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
whackboy's review
3.0
i'm thumbing through an Advanced Reading Copy of this. it's . . . interesting.
it starts off one thing, changes gears to another, and then just kind of implodes in fractal madness. i'd describe it but really it won't do it justice. you kind of have to read this for yourself to get just how meta and out of control this book is. it got three stars because for as off balance as it was, it kept pulling me back to see how it could possibly continue. i'm left to wonder what the editing process must have been (continues to be?) like.
it starts off one thing, changes gears to another, and then just kind of implodes in fractal madness. i'd describe it but really it won't do it justice. you kind of have to read this for yourself to get just how meta and out of control this book is. it got three stars because for as off balance as it was, it kept pulling me back to see how it could possibly continue. i'm left to wonder what the editing process must have been (continues to be?) like.
heykellyjensen's review
3.0
Pretty much the epitome of a mind-screw of a book.
No one likes Idaho Winter. This includes the crossing guard who wants to make sure he crosses the street when a car is coming, his classmates who want to beat him up, and even the school janitor who has saved a couple of hatchets for just the right time to knock him off. Doesn't really matter why no one likes Idaho. It's just the way it goes.
Then one day Madison decides she's going to be nice to him so he doesn't feel alone any more. Except, things aren't going to be that nice or clean. Remember, no one likes Idaho. It's about here I have to stop explaining what happens because basically, it's at this point where Idaho decides he's sick of the author writing the book. Idaho's going to take things into his own hands.
This is a very meta book about writing and reading and expectations of authors and characters and story and audience. Most of it makes no sense at all, and yet at the same time, the book makes absolute perfect sense. The story's assembled with pieces of Jurassic Park, as well as cameos by Billie Joe of Green Day and Green Day's drummer Tre Cool. There's also bats that are pretty vicious and a girl who causes your emotions to get stronger the closer you get to her (no, really, they have to build a rope to drag the poor girl through the story because if they got closer than 50 feet to her it would be end game). Also, characters change names and genders. Suddenly the author is at the will of the character who decided it was time to offer no good solutions and no sense whatsoever. Basically, it's Idaho giving Burgess the big middle finger. Except it's also Burgess giving Idaho the big middle finger and then both giving the same middle finger to the conventions of story telling. I'd say they're doing the same thing to the reader except I found this so funny I thought they were giving me a gift more than anything else.
I will say this went on a tad too long. It's 150 pages, and I think it could have been cut down even more to be more effective. But overall, it's the kind of book that readers who are okay with absurd stories will enjoy, and I think it's the kind of book that readers and writers will appreciate for the boundary breaking elements. It's meant to be fun. And it totally delivers on that.
But poor Idaho Winter. Even in the end, your life isn't any better.
No one likes Idaho Winter. This includes the crossing guard who wants to make sure he crosses the street when a car is coming, his classmates who want to beat him up, and even the school janitor who has saved a couple of hatchets for just the right time to knock him off. Doesn't really matter why no one likes Idaho. It's just the way it goes.
Then one day Madison decides she's going to be nice to him so he doesn't feel alone any more. Except, things aren't going to be that nice or clean. Remember, no one likes Idaho. It's about here I have to stop explaining what happens because basically, it's at this point where Idaho decides he's sick of the author writing the book. Idaho's going to take things into his own hands.
This is a very meta book about writing and reading and expectations of authors and characters and story and audience. Most of it makes no sense at all, and yet at the same time, the book makes absolute perfect sense. The story's assembled with pieces of Jurassic Park, as well as cameos by Billie Joe of Green Day and Green Day's drummer Tre Cool. There's also bats that are pretty vicious and a girl who causes your emotions to get stronger the closer you get to her (no, really, they have to build a rope to drag the poor girl through the story because if they got closer than 50 feet to her it would be end game). Also, characters change names and genders. Suddenly the author is at the will of the character who decided it was time to offer no good solutions and no sense whatsoever. Basically, it's Idaho giving Burgess the big middle finger. Except it's also Burgess giving Idaho the big middle finger and then both giving the same middle finger to the conventions of story telling. I'd say they're doing the same thing to the reader except I found this so funny I thought they were giving me a gift more than anything else.
I will say this went on a tad too long. It's 150 pages, and I think it could have been cut down even more to be more effective. But overall, it's the kind of book that readers who are okay with absurd stories will enjoy, and I think it's the kind of book that readers and writers will appreciate for the boundary breaking elements. It's meant to be fun. And it totally delivers on that.
But poor Idaho Winter. Even in the end, your life isn't any better.
Spoiler
Why? Oh, just because it's exactly what the reader would want to happen -- it's a happily ever after. Or IS it?katiecoops's review
4.0
I have no clue how to rate this book. It's the weirdest thing I've ever read, like reading a drug trip (or so I guess, having never been on one). I don't think it's possible to do anything normal with it like rate it using a star system, so I just closed my eyes and clicked. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 stars - any and all of them are accurate. So incredibly weird.
solaniisrex's review
5.0
What starts out as a simple story about a young boy who is unliked and bullied by everyone quickly turns on its side as the boy takes control... of the book itself. The author quickly becomes confused and enters the story in an attempt to set things right.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insanity that played out. Then again, I also loved Shatnerquake, so I may not be the best judge of what makes a great book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insanity that played out. Then again, I also loved Shatnerquake, so I may not be the best judge of what makes a great book.
chantale's review
4.0
Interesting concept. Definitely an out there literary horror. Reminds me of a more twisted The Regulators by Stephen King as well as his Under the Dome where children's imaginations run amok and terrorize the townspeople in a remote and closed off location. An intriguing and fast read.
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