Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hilarious! A sweet, funny ride that strangely reminded me of discworld. Everything is fake, except when it's not.... a heartfelt look of all the different ways that family can affect you.
I was very intrigued at the premise of the story, but it completely dragged on until the final third of the book. A mildly enjoyable read, but it was so slow in parts, I would not recommend it - I nearly didn’t finish it myself.
I did listen to the audible version, and wonder if reading the physical book would have gripped my attention more. However, I’m not wanting to test that theory any time soon!
I did listen to the audible version, and wonder if reading the physical book would have gripped my attention more. However, I’m not wanting to test that theory any time soon!
4.5 stars
Family drama and a slow burner....but kept me turning the pages to find out more. Every so often a new mystery of sorts would come up-so wasn't just a main one that you read about until the very end. Really enjoyed this one. Super unique and fun.
Family drama and a slow burner....but kept me turning the pages to find out more. Every so often a new mystery of sorts would come up-so wasn't just a main one that you read about until the very end. Really enjoyed this one. Super unique and fun.
Had to give up on this one. Has great reviews but I just couldn't stick with it.
Really fun novel based on a talented magic/psychic family. The Famous Telemachus Family is still reeling from the death of matriarch Maureen who was billed as “the worlds greatest psychic”. Oldest sibling Irene “the human life detector” is trying to get her life back on track as a single mom to Matteus. One brother is a wheeler dealer and the other is a nonverbal mess. Great characters. Crazy and yet realistic family interactions. Fun fun.
Imagine you live with a baker. You are treated weekly to such home-baked deliciousness as double-chocolate peppermint cookies, lemon squares, blueberry puree oat bars, lemon ricotta cookies and almond toffee bars. Now imagine you wander into the kitchen and the baker hands you a chocolate-chip cookie, fresh from the package.
mmm, preservatives.
Such was my experience reading Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. I really enjoy Gregory's work--three of his books are five-star reads for me--but this missed the edgy, flavor-filled writing that I've come to expect from him.
Narration is shared between the blood members of the Telemachus family: founding member Teddy; his daughter, Irene; her son, Matty; and Teddy's other two sons, Frankie and Buddy. Additionally, it ranges back and forth through time, from a disastrous television appearance when Irene, Frankie and Buddy were children, to the 'now,' when Matty experiences his gift for the first time. Given the narrative and time shifts, it is impressive at how well it flows together. Plotting is deft, slowly weaving the 1995 now for each character with a seminal event or two from their backstories, and then wonderfully bringing them all together in a very dramatic climax. It was fairly obvious that there was method to Buddy's madness, but part of the fun is seeing how it all dovetails together.
The characters stand out well, and within the confines of the pieces of life we see, they do feel dimensional. However, with the exception of Teddy, they never feel quite like real people to me. Perhaps it is because the viewpoint shifting limits depth, or perhaps the problem is that each description, interaction or event seemed to reinforce the primary characteristics of the character. Grandpa the con-man. Frankie as oldest son trying desperately to win approval by being like his dad. Irene, the over-worked, love-lost daughter caretaking for everyone but herself. The idolized but dead Grandma. Buddy, the non-verbal, far-out youngest son. Matty the grandson trying to figure out his place.
"(Grandpa Teddy always played for money, and never gave it back after a game. 'You can't sharpen your knife on a sponge,' he'd say."
"Uncle Frankie had shown Matty the tape at Thanksgiving four years ago. Frankie had been drinking a lot of red wine, hitting it hard as soon as his wife, Loretta, unwrapped the shrimp cocktail appetizers, and his sentences had turned emphatic and urgent."
"Buddy remained unperturbed. He'd been in one of his trances since finishing his pie, staring into space, occasionally smiling to himself or silently mouthing a word or two. His muteness was a mystery to Matty, and the adults wouldn't talk about it, a double silence that was impenetrable."
I'm a big fan of Daryl Gregory, but for me, this veered too far into the land of literary fiction, focusing on internal character issues instead of larger wierdness. I like his tinges of horror with the urban fantastical in [b:We Are All Completely Fine|20344877|We Are All Completely Fine|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407196510s/20344877.jpg|28350172], the sheer uniqueness of [b:Afterparty|17910129|Afterparty|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1379720402s/17910129.jpg|25095584], or the even well-done early adolescent viewpoint with a side of creepy in [b:Harrison Squared|22238192|Harrison Squared|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1411902596s/22238192.jpg|41612065]. This feels a little too chocolate-chip mainstream for what I've come to expect from Gregory. Other people loved it, so I hope that it brings Gregory some well-deserved attention.
If you enjoyed this, I recommend Lisa Lutz's [b:The Spellman Files|129117|The Spellman Files (The Spellmans, #1)|Lisa Lutz|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347521714s/129117.jpg|2896642], which contains similar daffiness, or Alice Hoffman's [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg|4030671], if you like a little romance with your magical realism.
Three and a half chocolate chip cookies, because I know Gregory is capable of Monster cookies.
mmm, preservatives.
Such was my experience reading Spoonbenders, by Daryl Gregory. I really enjoy Gregory's work--three of his books are five-star reads for me--but this missed the edgy, flavor-filled writing that I've come to expect from him.
Narration is shared between the blood members of the Telemachus family: founding member Teddy; his daughter, Irene; her son, Matty; and Teddy's other two sons, Frankie and Buddy. Additionally, it ranges back and forth through time, from a disastrous television appearance when Irene, Frankie and Buddy were children, to the 'now,' when Matty experiences his gift for the first time. Given the narrative and time shifts, it is impressive at how well it flows together. Plotting is deft, slowly weaving the 1995 now for each character with a seminal event or two from their backstories, and then wonderfully bringing them all together in a very dramatic climax. It was fairly obvious that there was method to Buddy's madness, but part of the fun is seeing how it all dovetails together.
The characters stand out well, and within the confines of the pieces of life we see, they do feel dimensional. However, with the exception of Teddy, they never feel quite like real people to me. Perhaps it is because the viewpoint shifting limits depth, or perhaps the problem is that each description, interaction or event seemed to reinforce the primary characteristics of the character. Grandpa the con-man. Frankie as oldest son trying desperately to win approval by being like his dad. Irene, the over-worked, love-lost daughter caretaking for everyone but herself. The idolized but dead Grandma. Buddy, the non-verbal, far-out youngest son. Matty the grandson trying to figure out his place.
"(Grandpa Teddy always played for money, and never gave it back after a game. 'You can't sharpen your knife on a sponge,' he'd say."
"Uncle Frankie had shown Matty the tape at Thanksgiving four years ago. Frankie had been drinking a lot of red wine, hitting it hard as soon as his wife, Loretta, unwrapped the shrimp cocktail appetizers, and his sentences had turned emphatic and urgent."
"Buddy remained unperturbed. He'd been in one of his trances since finishing his pie, staring into space, occasionally smiling to himself or silently mouthing a word or two. His muteness was a mystery to Matty, and the adults wouldn't talk about it, a double silence that was impenetrable."
I'm a big fan of Daryl Gregory, but for me, this veered too far into the land of literary fiction, focusing on internal character issues instead of larger wierdness. I like his tinges of horror with the urban fantastical in [b:We Are All Completely Fine|20344877|We Are All Completely Fine|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1407196510s/20344877.jpg|28350172], the sheer uniqueness of [b:Afterparty|17910129|Afterparty|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1379720402s/17910129.jpg|25095584], or the even well-done early adolescent viewpoint with a side of creepy in [b:Harrison Squared|22238192|Harrison Squared|Daryl Gregory|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1411902596s/22238192.jpg|41612065]. This feels a little too chocolate-chip mainstream for what I've come to expect from Gregory. Other people loved it, so I hope that it brings Gregory some well-deserved attention.
If you enjoyed this, I recommend Lisa Lutz's [b:The Spellman Files|129117|The Spellman Files (The Spellmans, #1)|Lisa Lutz|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347521714s/129117.jpg|2896642], which contains similar daffiness, or Alice Hoffman's [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic|Alice Hoffman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg|4030671], if you like a little romance with your magical realism.
Three and a half chocolate chip cookies, because I know Gregory is capable of Monster cookies.
Really great plot and story. Psychics and telekinetics and astral travel all woven pretty well together with a real showman's touch.
I liked the way it's written and how intriguing the characters are. For my taste it lacks a bit of cheerfulness and more adventures in between.
An engaging read about a psychic (not to say psychotic) family navigating through the generations. A whiff of John Irving. I would have given it five stars had it been 100 pages shorter.