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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Very interesting ideas and writing, that just doesn't come together in a particularly satisfying way. I wanted to keep reading about the world(s), but was also glad the book was over.
this book felt incredibly experimental, in a good way.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Considering that I like John Darnielle's lyrics, I was disappointed with Wolf in White Van.
The plot was interesting - a disfigured boy,Sean, creates a game, in which people mail him the directions. He then discovers that two fans have taken his game too seriously and suffer drastic consequences. As the novel progresses the reader finds out about how the disfigurement took place and the events after, plus other plotholes are tied up.
In theory I should like this book but I found Darnielle's writing to be similar to Chuck Palahniuk, a style which bothers me - I find it too deadpan and that lessened my enjoyment of the novel. Like I said earlier though, the ideas are great but I found everything else a bit so-so at times.
The plot was interesting - a disfigured boy,Sean, creates a game, in which people mail him the directions. He then discovers that two fans have taken his game too seriously and suffer drastic consequences. As the novel progresses the reader finds out about how the disfigurement took place and the events after, plus other plotholes are tied up.
In theory I should like this book but I found Darnielle's writing to be similar to Chuck Palahniuk, a style which bothers me - I find it too deadpan and that lessened my enjoyment of the novel. Like I said earlier though, the ideas are great but I found everything else a bit so-so at times.
Did you know this book was written by the lead singer of The Mountain Goats? Cause I didn't even know that.
This is another first-person narrated talk about life book, and i really didn't expect or want that. Some terrible shit went down with Sean back in the day, then he made a cool mail-in turn based game about a post-apocalyptic america and now that's what he does.
When Sean talks about the game "Trace Italian" it sounds pretty cool and i'm generally interested. When he talks about the people who play his game, and his connection to them, I'm in.
When Sean talks about himself, I don't really care. We're not given a lot of reason to like Sean. he's an aloof character and that remains true throughout the book. At best, we're trying to understand hm better, but thats a hard thread to pull for a whole book.
in the end, if you find Sean's prattling on about fandom and life and having a disfigured face and not knowing a lot of stuff, then maybe this book is for you. But if you find random time jumps, aimless segues and general youthful ineptitude somewhat tedious, give this one the skip.
This is another first-person narrated talk about life book, and i really didn't expect or want that. Some terrible shit went down with Sean back in the day, then he made a cool mail-in turn based game about a post-apocalyptic america and now that's what he does.
When Sean talks about the game "Trace Italian" it sounds pretty cool and i'm generally interested. When he talks about the people who play his game, and his connection to them, I'm in.
When Sean talks about himself, I don't really care. We're not given a lot of reason to like Sean. he's an aloof character and that remains true throughout the book. At best, we're trying to understand hm better, but thats a hard thread to pull for a whole book.
in the end, if you find Sean's prattling on about fandom and life and having a disfigured face and not knowing a lot of stuff, then maybe this book is for you. But if you find random time jumps, aimless segues and general youthful ineptitude somewhat tedious, give this one the skip.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In a strange way this book reminds me of catcher in the rye. The reader tours the inner life of a man reflecting back on his adolescence, a time when the future is both daunting and full of possibilities, where the imagination can conjure both beautiful and horrible scenarios and the still developing mind can get lost.
I just finished this tonight and am feeling pretty disappointed. I loved the plot, the game, Sean's rich interior life, how he'd turned his adolescent day-dreamy fantasy life into a career, and the subtle build up of the the story told in reverse. The story consists mostly of build-up for what should be a shocking reveal, or at least an interesting twist, but instead gets lost in the weeds and stumbles into a bleak anti-climax.
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes