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dcsilbertrust's review against another edition
Third part boring and difficult to follow. The whole lengthy endeavor did not seem worth it.
llewiss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
A bit too slow for me, didn’t get invested until a third of the way through. Some interesting concepts and an intriguing writing style. I wish there were speech marks, and slightly less references to ablutions - but I guess that made it grittier?
masonanddixon's review against another edition
4.0
“The moon's an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun.” - William Shakespeare
Does the mirror reveal ourselves, or merely limit the self to that which can be seen, that which already exists, thus destroying originality? Can we separate ourselves from the disappointing plane into the silvery alternative reflected in art? Can we even answer those? The Mirror Thief beautifully sets up these questions through three metaphorically interlocking narratives of Venice and the thieves within them. One, a Vegas noir with shadows of Ellroy and Delillo, the next a Bellow or Joycean take on life as a grifter in late 50s Venice Beach, and the final a less academic take on Umberto Eco's style set in 1500s Venice. Each of these having in someway to do with a book of poems called The Mirror Thief. If the meta fictional David Mitchell gears in your brain are turning you aren't wrong. (though the book is far more subtle in its themes than Cloud Atlas) Each of these stories in someway is a discussion of interpretation and originality w/r/t the questions above. Ultimately, the book shys away from answering these questions in favor of becoming a Ginsbergian howl at the systems that contain and keep us from being true to ourselves, or even prevent us from knowing ourselves at all.
The only think keeping me from giving this the full five stars is how much better Martin Seay is at being a literary writer than one of genre. The action and expository scenes, though here for a character reason I can't reveal, come off as clunky— greenhorn. The dissonance between "Patterns proliferate, as if in terror of blankness: geometric, vegetal, endlessly elaborated. Every surface seems vented, weightless, shot through with numberless holes." and "He stabbed a man through the breastbone." is great and Seay never fully resolves it. Thus leaving this loose baggy monster less a singular piece as fractured mirror. Deillo this ain't.
PS: The book, like DFW, is also steeped in Richard Rorty's philosophy of mirrors, but unlike DFW's later work doesn't really contend with them so much as accept them. So be warned if Rorty annoys you as he does so many philosophers.
Does the mirror reveal ourselves, or merely limit the self to that which can be seen, that which already exists, thus destroying originality? Can we separate ourselves from the disappointing plane into the silvery alternative reflected in art? Can we even answer those? The Mirror Thief beautifully sets up these questions through three metaphorically interlocking narratives of Venice and the thieves within them. One, a Vegas noir with shadows of Ellroy and Delillo, the next a Bellow or Joycean take on life as a grifter in late 50s Venice Beach, and the final a less academic take on Umberto Eco's style set in 1500s Venice. Each of these having in someway to do with a book of poems called The Mirror Thief. If the meta fictional David Mitchell gears in your brain are turning you aren't wrong. (though the book is far more subtle in its themes than Cloud Atlas) Each of these stories in someway is a discussion of interpretation and originality w/r/t the questions above. Ultimately, the book shys away from answering these questions in favor of becoming a Ginsbergian howl at the systems that contain and keep us from being true to ourselves, or even prevent us from knowing ourselves at all.
The only think keeping me from giving this the full five stars is how much better Martin Seay is at being a literary writer than one of genre. The action and expository scenes, though here for a character reason I can't reveal, come off as clunky— greenhorn. The dissonance between "Patterns proliferate, as if in terror of blankness: geometric, vegetal, endlessly elaborated. Every surface seems vented, weightless, shot through with numberless holes." and "He stabbed a man through the breastbone." is great and Seay never fully resolves it. Thus leaving this loose baggy monster less a singular piece as fractured mirror. Deillo this ain't.
PS: The book, like DFW, is also steeped in Richard Rorty's philosophy of mirrors, but unlike DFW's later work doesn't really contend with them so much as accept them. So be warned if Rorty annoys you as he does so many philosophers.
nicolemhill's review against another edition
3.0
I'm giving this three because of the literary merits and the gorgeous writing, but the three interconnected stories never really connected for me. I found it tough to finish, despite the individual intrigues.
kippersforbreakfast's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mattsolarz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jefecarpenter's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book had big promise, but I'm finally giving up, on page 324....!
The author has magnificent talents of description and dialogue that can put you directly in Atlantic City with casino sharks, or amongst the mysteries of the glass guild hierarchy in 16th century Venice... and it's a twisting weave of stories that includes the fringes of metaphysics. I thought I had found a new David Mitchell, and maybe a more readable version, as well. But he just just kept hammeriing away at a long bad trip between two sharks who can't keep my interest, leading out into an implausible meeting in the desert... that seems like he may have suddenly thought he should sprinkle some Carmac McCarthy in there. It doesn't work.
Page 324. That pretty much tells it all.
What a disapointment.
The author has magnificent talents of description and dialogue that can put you directly in Atlantic City with casino sharks, or amongst the mysteries of the glass guild hierarchy in 16th century Venice... and it's a twisting weave of stories that includes the fringes of metaphysics. I thought I had found a new David Mitchell, and maybe a more readable version, as well. But he just just kept hammeriing away at a long bad trip between two sharks who can't keep my interest, leading out into an implausible meeting in the desert... that seems like he may have suddenly thought he should sprinkle some Carmac McCarthy in there. It doesn't work.
Page 324. That pretty much tells it all.
What a disapointment.
lfrom's review against another edition
1.0
The description doesn't at all capture the ugliness of its characters and story. Perhaps if it had started in Venice, Italy, it might have been more interesting. Las Vegas leads the way and sets the tone with unlikable characters and an unappealing mystery.
mbondlamberty's review against another edition
2.0
I confess this book had split personalities (three different narrators) and I would give one of them (toss up between Curtis and Crivano) 4 stars at times, but Stanley, meh.
And it was a slog. I wanted to give it a chance hoping it would turn out like the Instance of the Fingerpost where things got tied together at the end but no such luck.
Still some parts (probably more Crivano than Curtis, though Curtis is more likable) were really good, but it was hard going.
And it was a slog. I wanted to give it a chance hoping it would turn out like the Instance of the Fingerpost where things got tied together at the end but no such luck.
Still some parts (probably more Crivano than Curtis, though Curtis is more likable) were really good, but it was hard going.
kelsiecb's review against another edition
2.0
Just shy of 600 pages and I have no idea why I read this or what the point was...