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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Romanzo breve abbastanza carino, con uno spunto molto interessante, ma si perde un po' in un finale relativamente banale e un po' vuoto. Forse la vicenda era da sviluppare un po' meglio e piu' a lungo.
medium-paced
Fantastic book. Really one-of-a-kind. Has a cool way of referring to things, like the fictional history he wrote for a non-fictional artist, through clever metaphors that refer to reality without mirroring it. One of the most interesting things he does is break from the moment of the story to bring in our present - he might compare a moment from now to a moment in the story in which no context would be historically available, such as a dinner party or modern medicine, but he does this in an extremely subtle way.
I read part of Aira's "The Musical Brain" and hated it. It was clear from that book that the author is brilliant, but I got annoyed by the puzzle-like format and having to play a new game every time a short story ended. I'm guessing this is resolved in his novellas in no small part due to the fact that he has more space to develop the story and frame his ideas in context.
I read part of Aira's "The Musical Brain" and hated it. It was clear from that book that the author is brilliant, but I got annoyed by the puzzle-like format and having to play a new game every time a short story ended. I'm guessing this is resolved in his novellas in no small part due to the fact that he has more space to develop the story and frame his ideas in context.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The thing about this book is: it's 90 pages long, filled with philosophical asides, and boasts a fair amount of action. But the marvel of it all is that the last way I would describe it is by saying it is "dense." Because it isn't. It is light and airy and the pacing is deliberate and the imagery is just flat-out lovely. There's time for odd bits of surrealism (Rugendas, in the mantilla, blindly flailing through a day's sketches sticks with me). There's asides on the nature of painting, aesthetics, and giant wagons that move 200m/day. I mean, this text is just packed.
So it's a credit to Aira's skill that nothing feels crowded or rushed or overly dense. In it's construction, and the mechanics of the text, it is as close to a perfect short novel as I can imagine. Is it a great novel? Perhaps. It needs rereading. Perhaps 4 or 5 rereadings. But I can say that, from the initial reading, I am left amazed by the sheer craftsmanship and erudition that Aira displays. In short, I dig.
So it's a credit to Aira's skill that nothing feels crowded or rushed or overly dense. In it's construction, and the mechanics of the text, it is as close to a perfect short novel as I can imagine. Is it a great novel? Perhaps. It needs rereading. Perhaps 4 or 5 rereadings. But I can say that, from the initial reading, I am left amazed by the sheer craftsmanship and erudition that Aira displays. In short, I dig.
A perfect, action-packed, poetic, adventure story. I wish it were longer, selfishly, although the length is the eptiome of concise. How strange reading about this disfigured man locked in his room feeling a burden when I'm stuck in mine, on slightly less intense pain killers, but feeling the same with my broken foot. I think this was the perfect time for me to read this.
It made me nostalgic for travel as well, and seeing new landscapes with the tantalising task of capturing its essence in words.
There's so much explored in this tiny novella, and so much I connected to. So many phrases that desribe what I strive to in my own journalling.
What an amazing feat.
It made me nostalgic for travel as well, and seeing new landscapes with the tantalising task of capturing its essence in words.
There's so much explored in this tiny novella, and so much I connected to. So many phrases that desribe what I strive to in my own journalling.
What an amazing feat.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Habría disfrutado más esto de no ser por los casuales comentarios racistas.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes