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breadandmushrooms's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.75
wintrovia's review against another edition
3.0
Stone Junction tell the story of a child that is trained by a secretive outlaw magic society and has to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a relative.
It's a strange book, the first half to two thirds of the book is like an elongated training montage, where you see Daniel go from mentor to mentor and learn skills that will equip him for his outlaw life. Then when that bit's over he then goes on a quest which involves the magical elements of the story really becoming a huge part of how he acheives his goal, despite the earlier parts of the book not really drawing too much attention to it.
I enjoyed the start, thought the characters where interesting and the story seemed to be progressing. But then it kind of changes into a different story and it's slightly unsatisfying because much of the earlier elements aren't really relevent to the book's climax. I liked the writing style and there were sections I really enjoyed but I felt like the beginning didn't really set up the unplausable end sequence.
So it was a bit unsatisfying and I felt like it could have been better. The magical realism wasn't really my cup of tea but I can see how someone else could read this and get a lot more out of it than I did.
It's a strange book, the first half to two thirds of the book is like an elongated training montage, where you see Daniel go from mentor to mentor and learn skills that will equip him for his outlaw life. Then when that bit's over he then goes on a quest which involves the magical elements of the story really becoming a huge part of how he acheives his goal, despite the earlier parts of the book not really drawing too much attention to it.
I enjoyed the start, thought the characters where interesting and the story seemed to be progressing. But then it kind of changes into a different story and it's slightly unsatisfying because much of the earlier elements aren't really relevent to the book's climax. I liked the writing style and there were sections I really enjoyed but I felt like the beginning didn't really set up the unplausable end sequence.
So it was a bit unsatisfying and I felt like it could have been better. The magical realism wasn't really my cup of tea but I can see how someone else could read this and get a lot more out of it than I did.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
5.0
Stone Junction is another one of those books that have been cropping up in my life. Whether in a magazine or a second-hand bookstore it seems that this novel makes an appearance. As luck will have, when it actually was time to buy the book I couldn’t find it anywhere and I had to order it from our local book chain.
This is not my first Jim Dodge though. That honour was bestowed to Fup and I loved it. An original plot, use of language and despite the zaniness, Dodge has a sense of control and Fup never descends into downright vulgarity. I would say it’s a fun romp more than anything.
Stone Junction is a continuation of the ideas in Fup. It is weird, entertaining and is stuffed with oddball similes. However I would say this book is more philosophical and thought-provoking.
Daniel Pearse is born to an outlaw mother. He is raised amongst thieves. When on a mission, Daniel’s mother is killed and he sets on his way to avenge her. Throughout this journey he joins a gang of Alchemical Magicians and goes under a series of teachers. All of them subject him to meditation, safe-cracking, espionage and even harvesting drugs.
Pearse’s life changes when he goes under the tutelage of Volta, a man who teaches Daniel on how to vanish and tells him about a diamond with mystical powers. Eventually Daniel manages to steal this diamond, which in turn helps him discover more secrets about his past and prepare him for his future.
Stone Junction is fantastic. There nothing else to say. I had a ton of fun reading it. Something which I haven’t experienced ever since my Brautigan and Vonnegut days back in the late nineties. This is a novel that screams ‘cool’.
This is not my first Jim Dodge though. That honour was bestowed to Fup and I loved it. An original plot, use of language and despite the zaniness, Dodge has a sense of control and Fup never descends into downright vulgarity. I would say it’s a fun romp more than anything.
Stone Junction is a continuation of the ideas in Fup. It is weird, entertaining and is stuffed with oddball similes. However I would say this book is more philosophical and thought-provoking.
Daniel Pearse is born to an outlaw mother. He is raised amongst thieves. When on a mission, Daniel’s mother is killed and he sets on his way to avenge her. Throughout this journey he joins a gang of Alchemical Magicians and goes under a series of teachers. All of them subject him to meditation, safe-cracking, espionage and even harvesting drugs.
Pearse’s life changes when he goes under the tutelage of Volta, a man who teaches Daniel on how to vanish and tells him about a diamond with mystical powers. Eventually Daniel manages to steal this diamond, which in turn helps him discover more secrets about his past and prepare him for his future.
Stone Junction is fantastic. There nothing else to say. I had a ton of fun reading it. Something which I haven’t experienced ever since my Brautigan and Vonnegut days back in the late nineties. This is a novel that screams ‘cool’.
arnovanvlierberghe's review against another edition
3.0
A somewhat disappointing read. Starts off great, picks up some good steam along the way but somehow turns into pretty predictable young adult writing near the last 200 pages.
lagerlout's review against another edition
3.0
This book is daunting, ambitious, overly long, prone to tangents and full of sex. It's so much fun.
There is a lot to unpack in [b:Stone Junction|526652|Stone Junction|Jim Dodge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348416386l/526652._SX50_.jpg|3294819] and you can tell author [a:Jim Dodge|158844|Jim Dodge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1285967635p2/158844.jpg] has lived many, many lives. He crams so much into this book it made me stop and put it down several times just to wrap my head around what was going on.
High stakes gambling, lock and safe cracking, mastering disguises, alchemy, drugs, meditation, whores - our hero Daniel learns about life at breakneck speed and has a host of colourful teachers along the way. The way to what isn't particularly clear but the journey there is a hell of a ride.
I did feel the first half of the book was exceptionally better than the second half. Daniel's mother is one dynamite character and I wish we had of followed her story more. As my friend who recommended it to me said: "Kid Daniel was ace but adult Daniel is a little bitch."
Apart from the brat Daniel turns into, this book is very different and worth the time. It's a world of violence, drugs and strangely promiscuous women. It's a TRIP.
There is a lot to unpack in [b:Stone Junction|526652|Stone Junction|Jim Dodge|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348416386l/526652._SX50_.jpg|3294819] and you can tell author [a:Jim Dodge|158844|Jim Dodge|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1285967635p2/158844.jpg] has lived many, many lives. He crams so much into this book it made me stop and put it down several times just to wrap my head around what was going on.
High stakes gambling, lock and safe cracking, mastering disguises, alchemy, drugs, meditation, whores - our hero Daniel learns about life at breakneck speed and has a host of colourful teachers along the way. The way to what isn't particularly clear but the journey there is a hell of a ride.
I did feel the first half of the book was exceptionally better than the second half. Daniel's mother is one dynamite character and I wish we had of followed her story more. As my friend who recommended it to me said: "Kid Daniel was ace but adult Daniel is a little bitch."
Apart from the brat Daniel turns into, this book is very different and worth the time. It's a world of violence, drugs and strangely promiscuous women. It's a TRIP.
zamziva's review against another edition
It was such a promising start! Then all the female characters served as eye candy, sexual objects who were faceless and nameless. And the named women, barely spoke, dead or disappeared. I haven't read a book about a cis-straight white man in over a year and I can really see the difference. I got used to having characters of different genders having personalities and motives, I forgot that in a lot of writing women exist as props. The ironic racism of Guido speaking in a Mexican accent just didn't work - it felt lazy - Jim Dodge tries to argue it's Guido's way of catching out the racists around him and yet it feels like Jimmy was giggling to himself because Hispanic accents are so funny. The formula of Daniel being shifted between different eccentric male teachers who passed on alternative educations from meditation, drugs and poker (poker is incredibly boring to read about - that was the nail in the coffin for me!). I wish I could complete it, I hate not finishing books, especially books recommended by friends. But there's just so much other books out there I'd like to read.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
2.0
A lot happens in this book, and yet I was left feeling that nothing happened at all. The countless mad cap characters, the cardplaying, sex, drugs and magic add up to nothing. Tons of wackiness does not a plot make. I suppose I should have backed off when I realized the introduction was by Thomas Pynchon.
eskimonika's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.75
setenay's review against another edition
4.0
Önsözde spoiler var, en son okuyun. (Neyse ki bu konuda gerekli uyarıyı önceden aldım ben, önsözü en son okudum.) İlk fırsatta hakkında bir blog postu yazacağım.