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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
While there are numerous positives and the novel is by far one of the top ones in its register, this comment should not probably be read by someone who thoroughly enjoyed it and/or likes YA literature. Ye have been warned.
There is much here that one would find to be alluring. For instance, on page 29 of the hardcover edition, Miller writes:
"I know what it's like to not feel anything. It's overwhelming light. It starts at a single spot and spreads outward, so fast that the real world burns in its wake until there is nothing but light. It's the white-hot flashbulb in the space behind the bridge of your nose and between your eyes. It's the inch of empty air between your skin and everything else that exists."
I doubt that there are many who would state without a shadow of a doubt that this is a piece of writing that is utterly unworthy and below any literary standard, and nor is it. Nevertheless, another thing that this quotation demonstrates is the extreme simplicity of the language used. Of course, a good literary work is not defined by the use of such words as "disseminate", "gleam", and "incandescent"; and in A Lite Too Bright Miller does use much figurative language and imagery that more than fulfils the lack of descriptiveness of each of the words on their own; but with such beautiful imagery being a next-door neighbour with swearing and grammatical structures that are so simplistic it is hardly possible for them to catch the eye of a reader who decided to read this work because it was claimed to be "inspired by classics", one is extremely likely to be disappointed.
Without spoiling too much of the plot, I also think that it may be worth it to mention the vexing conventionality of the events in the book as well as the stupidity of the decisions made by the main character.
(THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TALKS ABOUT THE PREMISE OF THE BOOK, so I would advise to skip it if you would rather not spoil the joys to come)
In the very beginning of the novel, Arthur comes to stay with his aunt and uncle at Lake Tahoe, where a photo frame with a photograph falls off a shelf during the night -- it was earlier stated that this was the only photograph truly loved by Arthur Loui Pulman the First as he hated the vast majority of them. It just so happens that at the same time a book falls on the floor, revealing a poem written by the man himself before his sudden disappearance. On a very specific night, in a very specific room, from a very specific shelf, a very specific book falls, leading the main character to take all of 10 letters to take a train to Nevada. If this seems an alluring tale to you, my merry reader, please, do look at the last paragraph of this review for it is full of praise and then happily transition to reading the work for I am certain you will enjoy it. If not, well, you and I are in the same boat. As I said, the conventionality and the stupidity of some of the decisions and events in the novel is truly beyond shocking.
THE SPOILER PART IS OVER, I will now praise the book a bit.
However vexing I found the incessant quest for clues conducted by the main character throughout Miller's novel, it has to be said that some plot details are indeed quite interesting. With the main character's grandfather being shrowded in an enigmatic riddle, the audience does have to wait for quite some time to even become familiar with the man and understand at least a little about him. Arthur Pulman the First is not per see a character in this merry tale, but rather a plot device, one driving and motivating the main character. It is purely for this element of the tail that I have added an extra star to the rating as even I have to admit, it does make the read a great deal more enjoyable.
All in all, I hope that you understand that one of the chief reasons for my agitation is the genre rather than any other feature of the book. Go forth in health and know that no matter what people write when reviewing a book your opinion is the only one that shall affect the matters of your heart.
There is much here that one would find to be alluring. For instance, on page 29 of the hardcover edition, Miller writes:
"I know what it's like to not feel anything. It's overwhelming light. It starts at a single spot and spreads outward, so fast that the real world burns in its wake until there is nothing but light. It's the white-hot flashbulb in the space behind the bridge of your nose and between your eyes. It's the inch of empty air between your skin and everything else that exists."
I doubt that there are many who would state without a shadow of a doubt that this is a piece of writing that is utterly unworthy and below any literary standard, and nor is it. Nevertheless, another thing that this quotation demonstrates is the extreme simplicity of the language used. Of course, a good literary work is not defined by the use of such words as "disseminate", "gleam", and "incandescent"; and in A Lite Too Bright Miller does use much figurative language and imagery that more than fulfils the lack of descriptiveness of each of the words on their own; but with such beautiful imagery being a next-door neighbour with swearing and grammatical structures that are so simplistic it is hardly possible for them to catch the eye of a reader who decided to read this work because it was claimed to be "inspired by classics", one is extremely likely to be disappointed.
Without spoiling too much of the plot, I also think that it may be worth it to mention the vexing conventionality of the events in the book as well as the stupidity of the decisions made by the main character.
(THE NEXT PARAGRAPH TALKS ABOUT THE PREMISE OF THE BOOK, so I would advise to skip it if you would rather not spoil the joys to come)
In the very beginning of the novel, Arthur comes to stay with his aunt and uncle at Lake Tahoe, where a photo frame with a photograph falls off a shelf during the night -- it was earlier stated that this was the only photograph truly loved by Arthur Loui Pulman the First as he hated the vast majority of them. It just so happens that at the same time a book falls on the floor, revealing a poem written by the man himself before his sudden disappearance. On a very specific night, in a very specific room, from a very specific shelf, a very specific book falls, leading the main character to take all of 10 letters to take a train to Nevada. If this seems an alluring tale to you, my merry reader, please, do look at the last paragraph of this review for it is full of praise and then happily transition to reading the work for I am certain you will enjoy it. If not, well, you and I are in the same boat. As I said, the conventionality and the stupidity of some of the decisions and events in the novel is truly beyond shocking.
THE SPOILER PART IS OVER, I will now praise the book a bit.
However vexing I found the incessant quest for clues conducted by the main character throughout Miller's novel, it has to be said that some plot details are indeed quite interesting. With the main character's grandfather being shrowded in an enigmatic riddle, the audience does have to wait for quite some time to even become familiar with the man and understand at least a little about him. Arthur Pulman the First is not per see a character in this merry tale, but rather a plot device, one driving and motivating the main character. It is purely for this element of the tail that I have added an extra star to the rating as even I have to admit, it does make the read a great deal more enjoyable.
All in all, I hope that you understand that one of the chief reasons for my agitation is the genre rather than any other feature of the book. Go forth in health and know that no matter what people write when reviewing a book your opinion is the only one that shall affect the matters of your heart.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This could have been 200 pages shorter...I think my favorite parts were the poetry that Arthur's grandfather wrote. I found the main character highly unlikeable and annoying, but his growth was impressive. Overall a 3.75, not rounding up to 4 because of how long this dragged on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is an adventure book, wrapped in mystery, driven by clues, and riddled with unpredictable twists and turns. All the primary characters are a little morally grey, some more than others. That said, in the end I wound up feeling compassion, or at least understanding for them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide attempt
I don't even know how to articulate how much I loved this book. Maybe it was the "The Catcher In the Rye" fan in me that knew going into this book that they had been compared, but the feelings I felt during this book were a rollercoaster. Loved it, an instant favorite for me.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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