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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Where to start? I grabbed this book from my digital library, and admittedly tore through it. But, about 1/4 of the way through, I was just reading to find out the 'twist' as I generally disliked most of the characters by the fifth chapter. And the twist was not bad, but not incredibly satisfying either - and it was further diminished by the three endings the book had.
But it wasn't just the plot that generally lost my interest and had me skimming at a quick pace. It was the style. As another reviewer pointed out - every person speaks with the same flowerly, purple prose voice with more adjectives than were needed. If Pessl had set up this ultra stylized world, it might of worked, but when an investigative journalist is writing his notes like he is writing an actual article, my sense of disbelief starts tingling.
Not only was the prose flowerly, but the timeline was poorly plotted. I saw at least twice that I had to go back and think hard about the timeline Pessl had laid out in earlier chapters that were later blown. I thought it might have had to do with the 'twist' coming at the end, but instead it was just poor writing and poor editing (Example: Actress Marlowe Hughes was Cordova's second wife, divorced in the early 80s and never spoke to him again - yet she summered with Ashley when the child was 8, and Cordova told her all of this action AFTER they had divorced? How? Magic?)
And let's not forget our awful, first person narrator, who I was unsure I was supposed to love to hate in one of those Brillant, but Socially Awful genius sort of ways - or just hate him. HE was awful at his job, seemed to not like or truly care for anyone around him, and that was all explained by him being 'a great journalist.' Show don't tell, because everything you showed me showed an incompetent moron, who called for a man to be hunted down and killed from a blind source who offered no proof.
Quick Mindless Pulp - yes. But there is better out there, or at least there is similar out there that isn't selling itself as something new, dark and edgy.
But it wasn't just the plot that generally lost my interest and had me skimming at a quick pace. It was the style. As another reviewer pointed out - every person speaks with the same flowerly, purple prose voice with more adjectives than were needed. If Pessl had set up this ultra stylized world, it might of worked, but when an investigative journalist is writing his notes like he is writing an actual article, my sense of disbelief starts tingling.
Not only was the prose flowerly, but the timeline was poorly plotted. I saw at least twice that I had to go back and think hard about the timeline Pessl had laid out in earlier chapters that were later blown. I thought it might have had to do with the 'twist' coming at the end, but instead it was just poor writing and poor editing (Example: Actress Marlowe Hughes was Cordova's second wife, divorced in the early 80s and never spoke to him again - yet she summered with Ashley when the child was 8, and Cordova told her all of this action AFTER they had divorced? How? Magic?)
And let's not forget our awful, first person narrator, who I was unsure I was supposed to love to hate in one of those Brillant, but Socially Awful genius sort of ways - or just hate him. HE was awful at his job, seemed to not like or truly care for anyone around him, and that was all explained by him being 'a great journalist.' Show don't tell, because everything you showed me showed an incompetent moron, who called for a man to be hunted down and killed from a blind source who offered no proof.
Quick Mindless Pulp - yes. But there is better out there, or at least there is similar out there that isn't selling itself as something new, dark and edgy.
The most enthralling piece of writing I've read in a long time. Since 'The Shadow of the Wind' even. In fact it's almost a modern retelling of The Shadow of the Wind. Fantastic. Once you're drawn in it'll have it's hooks in you till you have to put it down because it's the last page. It's not perfect, but I'd rather not say what the flaws are so you can enjoy the ride better.
DNF at 50%. Maybe it's because it was audio, but I was bored and didn't want to waste any more time on this book.
I don't know what to say about this that won't end up being a spoiler. The galaxy the author created about Stanislas Cordova was so rich and compelling, I found myself wishing he were real, wishing the movies existed. The notes, web pages, pictures and other ephemera related to the case of Ashley Cordova were a nice touch and helpful for conveying a lot of different information without cumbersome dialogue or exposition. Overall it was a very satisfying read. That said, it seems like I'm coming across strange or poor editing more and more often. There were so many sentences that left me shaking my head. Maybe these are transcription errors or whatever you call errors made in preparing a book for ebook publication. Maybe ebooks are ridiculously poor quality versions of their physical counterparts? No hardcover to compare it to. Another thing that was strange--the author frequently referred to the height of characters, but I can only assume the references are punctuated improperly. For instance, one male character is described as physically imposing but the description goes on to say he's 66". I assume it should be 6'6" because 66" is only 5 feet, 6 inches, aka the opposite of physically imposing. Again, maybe these errors only appear in the Kindle version, but they are distracting.
I read the first half and skimmed the rest. I am giving myself credit for the whole damn book...because I can. It was a bit of a chore. It started out so interesting and promising...and then...like a lot of 600+ page books...it began to lag and drag. I just couldn't stay too interested. Great premise and I loved the interspersing of the articles and photos.
First of all don't be intimidated by the size of this book. I promise you that if you find it as intriguing as I did you will fly through it wanting more. It gives you a look into the world of the twisted minds that brings us those horror movies we love. It is an example of things not always being as they seem. (Or are they?) I do recommend downloading the Night Film Decoder app on your phone. I found its interaction gave the book another demention.
I found this one addictive, brilliant, frustrating and ultimately unforgettable. It's a long novel and I felt of a bit of a drag after 100 pages, but then the intricate plot/mystery sped up and kept me going until the end.
atrociously racist and phobic with a failure to achieve the pretentious poignancy it wished to exude
marisha do yourself a favour a retreat from writing
marisha do yourself a favour a retreat from writing
WAAAAY too long; had to quit reading. Even when things started actually happening, it still didn't keep my interest. Finally, when I had no desire to find out the end, I gave up reading.