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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Una vez leída, comprendo perfectamente que a la inmensa mayoría de los lectores les haya gustado, y por lo general mucho, esta novela. Y es que tiene muchos aciertos y muy pocos defectos. Es original, entretenida, adictiva desde la primera página y muy divertida, con un humor inteligente, buen ritmo, un estilo ágil, sencillo pero bien pulido, personajes interesantes, bastante bien perfilados, diálogos ingeniosos. Plantea además temas con los que es complicado no captar el interés, ya que a todos nos rozan: la familia y sus conflictos, los problemas que le son inherentes, el amor y sus secretos, el amor pese a todo, el fracaso, las expectativas vitales que tantas veces vemos insatisfechas... y todo esto tratado con ironía y mala leche.
—Total, que tu vida no ha salido como pensabas. No has cambiado el mundo. ¿Y qué? Fue bonito mientras duró. Y ahora solo tienes una opción.
Smalls enarcó una ceja.
—Abrazar la mediocridad —dijo Teddy—. Ese es mi consejo para ti, amigo. Baja el listón. Acepta el aprobado justo. Renuncia al entrecot y confórmate con la hamburguesa.
Pero algo no me ha terminado de entusiasmar. El planteamiento me parece mejor que el desarrollo. La historia se narra a través de cinco puntos de vista distintos, los de los cinco personales principales (Teddy –mi preferido–, sus hijos Irene, Frankie y Buddy, y su nieto e hijo de Irene, Matty), cada uno con sus subtramas correspondientes, de las que creo que algunas sobran. Todas las pequeñas historias encajan perfectamente, y esta perfección en la estructura es quizás parte del pequeño problema, resulta demasiado redonda para mi gusto, como si algunas de las piezas del puzzle hubiesen sido colocadas precisamente para encajar unas con otras al final.
—Total, que tu vida no ha salido como pensabas. No has cambiado el mundo. ¿Y qué? Fue bonito mientras duró. Y ahora solo tienes una opción.
Smalls enarcó una ceja.
—Abrazar la mediocridad —dijo Teddy—. Ese es mi consejo para ti, amigo. Baja el listón. Acepta el aprobado justo. Renuncia al entrecot y confórmate con la hamburguesa.
Pero algo no me ha terminado de entusiasmar. El planteamiento me parece mejor que el desarrollo. La historia se narra a través de cinco puntos de vista distintos, los de los cinco personales principales (Teddy –mi preferido–, sus hijos Irene, Frankie y Buddy, y su nieto e hijo de Irene, Matty), cada uno con sus subtramas correspondientes, de las que creo que algunas sobran. Todas las pequeñas historias encajan perfectamente, y esta perfección en la estructura es quizás parte del pequeño problema, resulta demasiado redonda para mi gusto, como si algunas de las piezas del puzzle hubiesen sido colocadas precisamente para encajar unas con otras al final.
3.5 stars really, but the story had enough heart and uniqueness to convince me to round up.
Pretty sure I haven't read anything with a similar premise. The closest comparison I have, including stylistically, is The Umbrella Academy - both the comic and the Netflix adaptation. Common ground: about a dysfunctional family with not very super-powers, who are involved in an idiot plot* with an end-of-the-world (sort of, in this case) deadline. Also there's some weird stuff like the triggers to activate Matty's powers.
*Roger Ebert's definition: "The Idiot Plot, of course, is any plot that would be resolved in five minutes if everyone in the story were not an idiot." Functionally, of course, characters in an idiot plot aren't necessarily idiots; the narrative just keeps key information secret from different characters so that they all get in one another's way.
Why isn't this frustrating in this book? Well, for one, the authorial voice is confident, snappy. It carries the reader along well, even as the narrative jumps around in time. Then there's the heart I mentioned earlier. The powers of characters like Irene and Buddy are milked very nicely, even intelligently, for dramatic moments that still feel real.
If you want a story world where America used psychics in the Cold War, and such disparate storylines as owing money to the Chicago mob, meeting a boyfriend on AOL (because it is 1995), and life-saving DIY renovations... you could give this book a try.
Pretty sure I haven't read anything with a similar premise. The closest comparison I have, including stylistically, is The Umbrella Academy - both the comic and the Netflix adaptation. Common ground: about a dysfunctional family with not very super-powers, who are involved in an idiot plot* with an end-of-the-world (sort of, in this case) deadline. Also there's some weird stuff like the triggers to activate Matty's powers
Spoiler
(masturbation, marijuana)*Roger Ebert's definition: "The Idiot Plot, of course, is any plot that would be resolved in five minutes if everyone in the story were not an idiot." Functionally, of course, characters in an idiot plot aren't necessarily idiots; the narrative just keeps key information secret from different characters so that they all get in one another's way.
Why isn't this frustrating in this book? Well, for one, the authorial voice is confident, snappy. It carries the reader along well, even as the narrative jumps around in time. Then there's the heart I mentioned earlier. The powers of characters like Irene and Buddy are milked very nicely, even intelligently, for dramatic moments that still feel real.
If you want a story world where America used psychics in the Cold War, and such disparate storylines as owing money to the Chicago mob, meeting a boyfriend on AOL (because it is 1995), and life-saving DIY renovations... you could give this book a try.
This was such a fun, quirky book. Teddy Telemachaus and Maureen McKinnon meet after responding to an add for a secret government study. Teddy has the gift of sleight of hand, but no real powers. Maureen, on the other hand, possesses real and measurable psychic powers. Her powers become of great use to the government during the Cold War. Although Teddy has no real powers, he manages to make Maureen fall in love with him, marry him, and together they create a brood of kids who may or may not have powers like Maureen's, but all of whom form the Amazing Telemachaus Family. Irene is a human lie detector, while Buddy can see the future. Not to be left out, Frank can move objects with his mind.
That was in the past, though. In the present, Frank, Irene, and Buddy are all grown up, some with kids of their own. The book explores the family dynamics, as well as those things we inherit from our families--whether they are psychic powers or the color of our eyes.
That was in the past, though. In the present, Frank, Irene, and Buddy are all grown up, some with kids of their own. The book explores the family dynamics, as well as those things we inherit from our families--whether they are psychic powers or the color of our eyes.
adventurous
funny
Now that was a fun book. I love reading a story that combines real psychics and con men. The characters were all great and I loved all the different points of view. It was also quite funny.
Spoonbenders, about a family with telekinetic powers, dysfunction and flim flam undertones. Bit too creatively violent in one small bit. Focuses and jumps from 4 viewpoints, spanning 3 generations of the family. Read it at breakfast, read instead of tv at night...a rarity these days.
A different story line and plot, slow moving, definitely some weird parts but overall an interesting book
"Spoonbenders" has all of my favorite things. I can practically hear Julie Andrews singing along as I list them. Cardsharps. Organized crime. Telekinesis. Multi-level marketing schemes. Remote viewing. Marijuana. Con artists. Black book government agencies. Stage magicians.
The list goes on.
"Spoonbenders" is ostensibly about a Chicago family, the product of a sleight-of-hand confidence man and an actual, honest-t0-god psychic. The family was on the verge of becoming a worldwide sensation on a late-night talk show when everything fell apart. Now, twentysome odd years later, the family has ostensibly grown up, but that's not really the case.
This book is a wonderful, comic examination on the weight of expectations -- those imposed by outside forces and those we impose upon ourselves. It's about the joys and pains of familial obligation. It's about how no matter how close-knit people are -- especially family -- everyone has hidden challenges they're facing.
Then you throw in things like gangsters trying to recover the teeth they've knocked out of a victim's mouth, septuagenarians running the very definition of a long con, dueling Cold War psy-ops programs.... like I said, the list goes on.
Even given some of the heavier topics -- which never get too terribly heavy -- Gregory handles this giant mess with a deft hand. This book was a fun romp, and I never really knew where the Amazing Telemachus Family was going to wind up.
The list goes on.
"Spoonbenders" is ostensibly about a Chicago family, the product of a sleight-of-hand confidence man and an actual, honest-t0-god psychic. The family was on the verge of becoming a worldwide sensation on a late-night talk show when everything fell apart. Now, twentysome odd years later, the family has ostensibly grown up, but that's not really the case.
This book is a wonderful, comic examination on the weight of expectations -- those imposed by outside forces and those we impose upon ourselves. It's about the joys and pains of familial obligation. It's about how no matter how close-knit people are -- especially family -- everyone has hidden challenges they're facing.
Then you throw in things like gangsters trying to recover the teeth they've knocked out of a victim's mouth, septuagenarians running the very definition of a long con, dueling Cold War psy-ops programs.... like I said, the list goes on.
Even given some of the heavier topics -- which never get too terribly heavy -- Gregory handles this giant mess with a deft hand. This book was a fun romp, and I never really knew where the Amazing Telemachus Family was going to wind up.