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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Read December 2019
This one is a slightly stronger follow-up to the first installment. The various characters are finally beginning to show hints of how their stories intersect, which gives it a more complete feeling than the first novel. The formatting continues to lean into the serialized television style of story-telling, but with more consistency, perhaps born out of the way this installment takes place over the period of a month rather than one single day. This allows for more momentum and feels a little less like the pressure behind a shaken can of soda that refused to explode—the first book was a building of suspense and a looming feeling of fate or destiny, but had no resolution or explanation.
The story does some very strong character work, particularly with Xanther and Astaire, and surprisingly, the Narcons. However, Luther has continued to be detestable to the point where I can barely stand to see the black corner at the top of his pages.
The scene that will stick with me is one that I could have lived without. In volume one it was Xanther’s desperate CPR on a dying kitten. In this book, it will be the sickly yellow mental image of an over-sized deep fryer. I had to put the book down for a bit when I got to that exchange. I think it is going to haunt me for some time.
This one is a slightly stronger follow-up to the first installment. The various characters are finally beginning to show hints of how their stories intersect, which gives it a more complete feeling than the first novel. The formatting continues to lean into the serialized television style of story-telling, but with more consistency, perhaps born out of the way this installment takes place over the period of a month rather than one single day. This allows for more momentum and feels a little less like the pressure behind a shaken can of soda that refused to explode—the first book was a building of suspense and a looming feeling of fate or destiny, but had no resolution or explanation.
The story does some very strong character work, particularly with Xanther and Astaire, and surprisingly, the Narcons. However, Luther has continued to be detestable to the point where I can barely stand to see the black corner at the top of his pages.
The scene that will stick with me is one that I could have lived without. In volume one it was Xanther’s desperate CPR on a dying kitten. In this book, it will be the sickly yellow mental image of an over-sized deep fryer. I had to put the book down for a bit when I got to that exchange. I think it is going to haunt me for some time.
I decided to read this after putting it down 12 months ago- boy it did not disappoint! It was awesome reuniting with Xanther, Astair, Anwer, Luther, and the others as the days roll on. The way that Danielewski writes the book makes you engrossed in the day to day lives of the characters and intersperses the characters is interesting.
The thing - cat/dog whatever it is despite its fragility and you and Xanther fearing/knowing that the thing may pass away at any seconds pushes you to want the thing to live. But to what extent does the thing being alive affect Xanther's day to day life. Yes she's growing into a regular teenager (sullen/withdrawn) but I feel that after A Rainy Day in May something's changing with the rescue of the thing
The thing - cat/dog whatever it is despite its fragility and you and Xanther fearing/knowing that the thing may pass away at any seconds pushes you to want the thing to live. But to what extent does the thing being alive affect Xanther's day to day life. Yes she's growing into a regular teenager (sullen/withdrawn) but I feel that after A Rainy Day in May something's changing with the rescue of the thing
Danielewski continues to amaze with volume 2. As the reader progresses you really fall into a groove of the books. I was amazed to see the 880 pages of this book fly by. I couldn't stop until I was done and I was caving more.
#BeAHymnForGood
#BeAHymnForGood
A large amount better than volume one, a book which I already loved. Quite an undertaking, but undoubtedly worth it in my opinion.
If you’ve never read anything by Mark Z. Danielewski before, I’ll tell you two things:
1) You’ve gotta be willing to live in a constant state of disequilibrium. You will either not fully understand what you’re reading or else you’ll fully understand it & be unsettled by it. There’s very little in between.
2) You have to put in the work. You don’t read Danielewski casually. He’s going to exercise your gray matter in ways it probably hasn’t been exercised in a while (& I say this as a Professional Thinky Guy).
A third thing – separate from, but a consequence of, the first two items – is that there’s no satisfactory way to summarize a Danielewski book & render it appealing to anyone.
So what can I tell you?
Some bullets:
This is the second volume of a series the author intends to be 27 (!) volumes long.
Each volume, including this one, will be 880 pages & 30 chapters long.
It features nine storylines, some of which currently interlock, some of which don’t, some of which you just KNOW will interlock eventually.
These stories are kept distinctive through the use of specific individual fonts.
Among the nine interlocking stories you’ll find the following:
Xanther, a young epileptic girl who takes care of a small cat that looks very young but is actually very old & which may have healing properties.
A group of outlaws possessing a mysterious Orb while on the run from the government.
A Los Angeles detective, a Mexican-American gang member, & a Singaporean addict, all of whom are involved in a plot about drugs being distributed by balloon.
A group called the Narcons who may be extraterrestrial or possibly some sort of artificial intelligence or maybe neither of the above but who definitely provide a running commentary on all nine plotlines.
And then there are some plotlines I’m still waiting to reveal themselves, like the Armenian taxi driver or Xanther’s mother, whose story mainly revolves around trying to get her graduate thesis approved.
As always, the breadth of Danielewski’s imagination & experimentation is astounding. But I’m not going to hang around forever. I’m on board for at least one more volume, but I’m soon going to need more instant gratification.
1) You’ve gotta be willing to live in a constant state of disequilibrium. You will either not fully understand what you’re reading or else you’ll fully understand it & be unsettled by it. There’s very little in between.
2) You have to put in the work. You don’t read Danielewski casually. He’s going to exercise your gray matter in ways it probably hasn’t been exercised in a while (& I say this as a Professional Thinky Guy).
A third thing – separate from, but a consequence of, the first two items – is that there’s no satisfactory way to summarize a Danielewski book & render it appealing to anyone.
So what can I tell you?
Some bullets:
This is the second volume of a series the author intends to be 27 (!) volumes long.
Each volume, including this one, will be 880 pages & 30 chapters long.
It features nine storylines, some of which currently interlock, some of which don’t, some of which you just KNOW will interlock eventually.
These stories are kept distinctive through the use of specific individual fonts.
Among the nine interlocking stories you’ll find the following:
Xanther, a young epileptic girl who takes care of a small cat that looks very young but is actually very old & which may have healing properties.
A group of outlaws possessing a mysterious Orb while on the run from the government.
A Los Angeles detective, a Mexican-American gang member, & a Singaporean addict, all of whom are involved in a plot about drugs being distributed by balloon.
A group called the Narcons who may be extraterrestrial or possibly some sort of artificial intelligence or maybe neither of the above but who definitely provide a running commentary on all nine plotlines.
And then there are some plotlines I’m still waiting to reveal themselves, like the Armenian taxi driver or Xanther’s mother, whose story mainly revolves around trying to get her graduate thesis approved.
As always, the breadth of Danielewski’s imagination & experimentation is astounding. But I’m not going to hang around forever. I’m on board for at least one more volume, but I’m soon going to need more instant gratification.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
With cautious optimism I bought 'Into the Forest'. A lot of pins had been set up in the previous volume with nine view point narratives, hints dropped, and literary mechanics, the narcons, literally introduced to readers. I couldn't be sure what was going on on every page, but it was compelling reading.
I felt like I had to give the story more room before I could begin to assess it, and now we're 800+ more pages into the story. I still have to reserve most judgement deeper than a star-rating and that 'The Familiar' got better. Xanther's beginning to become aware of something changing her little friend, the kitten, he's hungry for something, but she doesn't want to accept know what it desires. The other characters begin to be aware of each other in unexpected ways, sounds or images they can't place. I don't love most of Danielewski's font or formatting choices (Ozgur's everything right on top of that list), but the story keeps coming out ahead of its concept, proving there's more to it than a gimmick. The characters are rounding out and the language of the different viewpoints is easier to fall into rather than keeping the reader out. The best set-piece comes right at the end, so I won't spoil it, but it was impressive.
Don't ask me what this is all about, but consider me hooked.
The Familiar
'The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May'
'The Familiar, Volume 3: Honeysuckle & Pain'
I felt like I had to give the story more room before I could begin to assess it, and now we're 800+ more pages into the story. I still have to reserve most judgement deeper than a star-rating and that 'The Familiar' got better. Xanther's beginning to become aware of something changing her little friend, the kitten, he's hungry for something, but she doesn't want to accept know what it desires. The other characters begin to be aware of each other in unexpected ways, sounds or images they can't place. I don't love most of Danielewski's font or formatting choices (Ozgur's everything right on top of that list), but the story keeps coming out ahead of its concept, proving there's more to it than a gimmick. The characters are rounding out and the language of the different viewpoints is easier to fall into rather than keeping the reader out. The best set-piece comes right at the end, so I won't spoil it, but it was impressive.
Don't ask me what this is all about, but consider me hooked.
The Familiar
'The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May'
'The Familiar, Volume 3: Honeysuckle & Pain'
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
NOTE: This series is not finished and will NOT be finished in the forum that it exists now. The Author has stated that he is working on a resolution to the dilemma after the cost and scope of publication became a thing they just couldn't stick with. That and his style is definitely an acquired taste, so they can't guarantee sales.
Do I think it still worth diving into?
YES!!!!!!!!
If you can get into the style [and I would read his more well known series 'House of Leaves' to see if it jives with you or not] then this series is creepy, heart stopping, awesome fun!! I want so desperately to leap into the next after the ending of this one.
The 'Familiar' is got, in this installment. It's about how said familiar fits in with the family and how all the strings of all the various characters are gradually being intertwined.
Do I think it still worth diving into?
YES!!!!!!!!
If you can get into the style [and I would read his more well known series 'House of Leaves' to see if it jives with you or not] then this series is creepy, heart stopping, awesome fun!! I want so desperately to leap into the next after the ending of this one.
The 'Familiar' is got, in this installment. It's about how said familiar fits in with the family and how all the strings of all the various characters are gradually being intertwined.