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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
For the first two thirds of this book, I struggled with the pace--it felt like constant starts and stops--but managed to hang on well enough. And then it changed, into some back story, that never really felt connected or significant or interesting. Ugh. And, I know this is very American of me, but I was looking for some kind of closure, or discovery, or something satisfying with the main characters--obviously I didn't get it. Frustrating!
Excellent characterization. Ondaatje can paint a picture of great depth without saying so much. However, I would much rather have read about the characters from the beginning than the characters at the end. I started to get invested, but for no reason!
This was another suggestion of mine for one of the book clubs I'm in, and I think my compatriots are going to start summarily vetoing my suggestions. While this went over better than "Amnesia Moon," I don't know that any of us really liked it that much. The book essentially has two parts, which connect tenuously at best. The initial story is abandoned mid-stream, and the second story moves back and forth in time and becomes quite confusing. Throughout the book I found I had a hard time keeping track of the characters (not that there are that many), but some of that could be due to the fact that I was constantly picking this up and putting it down, reading a few pages at best and not getting back to it for several days.
That said, the writing was wonderful, so if you think you can get around an abrupt shift from one plot to another then I'd recommend picking it up. (Kim Werker does a great job of giving an idea of how the book works; her post is actually what made me put this book on my list: http://snipurl.com/h0fo9).
That said, the writing was wonderful, so if you think you can get around an abrupt shift from one plot to another then I'd recommend picking it up. (Kim Werker does a great job of giving an idea of how the book works; her post is actually what made me put this book on my list: http://snipurl.com/h0fo9).
There are definitely some questionable moves in terms of plot here, or in terms of abandoning the plot, or, actually, what's the plot. Occasionally grandiose. But at the same time, skillful, true and beautiful. Proving, I can only suppose, that the plot doesn't matter as much as what life means.
A collection of episodes and anecdotes, some of them quite engrossing and moving, with overlapping themes and characters, which however never quite seem to cohere into the satisfying shape of a novel.
Confusing.
There's the beginning plot, then it splinters, and from that another story and its backstory emerge. I really thought there would be a clearer tie in to the original story, of Clara and Ann and the boy, but it wasn't that strong. Maybe a re-read or proper study would help.
There's the beginning plot, then it splinters, and from that another story and its backstory emerge. I really thought there would be a clearer tie in to the original story, of Clara and Ann and the boy, but it wasn't that strong. Maybe a re-read or proper study would help.
For a brief moment, I wondered if maybe I wasn't smart enough. Especially with all the comments on here saying things like "hey, this is just like life, because sometimes in real life narrative threads are lost and we don't really understand what happens."
Then I realized that that's a cheap argument. Because sometimes in real life, my cat poos on the floor and I step in it, but you can't argue that that is therefore deep because it is real. (I am not comparing this to cat poo. Honest.)
My book club read this, and we were pretty evenly split. Some people really liked the fogginess and the timeshifts. However, I was really frustrated by them, and especially by the book's mid-stream transition to being about a French novelist instead of a California sibling-ish trio. There are regular swaps in narrator, in time, in place, and few (if any) real transitions, and this is, in itself, not a huge problem.
However, there's a feeling of unfinishedness about it -- we leave characters at major life transition points, then don't bother to go back to learn what happened. Other characters show up and fade out. The characters themselves (I'm looking at you, Coop) seem as confused as we are -- they form temporary alliances without much real explanation or evidence of thought. Once again, some of my book club argued that this is because we don't always understand why other people do what they do, but I disagree: if we're being told, even via third person, a story that really does take place from a specific person's point of view, I don't want to just hear, again and again, that he is confused and unsettled and thinks he might have sex with her and is confused and where is he again? Unsatisfying and, ultimately, it lost me.
Then I realized that that's a cheap argument. Because sometimes in real life, my cat poos on the floor and I step in it, but you can't argue that that is therefore deep because it is real. (I am not comparing this to cat poo. Honest.)
My book club read this, and we were pretty evenly split. Some people really liked the fogginess and the timeshifts. However, I was really frustrated by them, and especially by the book's mid-stream transition to being about a French novelist instead of a California sibling-ish trio. There are regular swaps in narrator, in time, in place, and few (if any) real transitions, and this is, in itself, not a huge problem.
However, there's a feeling of unfinishedness about it -- we leave characters at major life transition points, then don't bother to go back to learn what happened. Other characters show up and fade out. The characters themselves (I'm looking at you, Coop) seem as confused as we are -- they form temporary alliances without much real explanation or evidence of thought. Once again, some of my book club argued that this is because we don't always understand why other people do what they do, but I disagree: if we're being told, even via third person, a story that really does take place from a specific person's point of view, I don't want to just hear, again and again, that he is confused and unsettled and thinks he might have sex with her and is confused and where is he again? Unsatisfying and, ultimately, it lost me.
I rarely do this, but I purchased this book on a whim because I liked the title. When I was in San Francisco, I kept seeing the word 'Divisadero' everywhere. I didn't know what it meant, but I thought it sounded enchanting. I feel the same way about the book -- unsure of the deeper meaning, but enchanted nonetheless.
One of the best outcomes from listening to the author read his own book last time I picked up his work is that I now hear his voice when I'm reading his other books. His writing style is so distinctive that it's not hard to evoke that voice when I'm reading.
This particular story is the best of his that I've tried so far. Which I personally find odd as it has so many aspects that often bother me with other stories, such as the non-ending and abrupt storyline switch. But I found myself enthralled by the introspective style and the more than wonderful writing.
This particular story is the best of his that I've tried so far. Which I personally find odd as it has so many aspects that often bother me with other stories, such as the non-ending and abrupt storyline switch. But I found myself enthralled by the introspective style and the more than wonderful writing.
I spent this whole book waiting for it all to tie together into something and it just doesn't.
Some of the scenes are just extreme (not to give spoilers, I'll just say the beating(s)). It's impossible to keep up with what time frame the book is taking place and why the characters are interacting the way they do.
It feels like maybe it's just a story about humans doing human things, but in that case, it goes too far out into extremes too often. It's a little mixed up and discombobulated and doesn't really wrap it up together.
Felt drawn out. Oof.
Some of the scenes are just extreme (not to give spoilers, I'll just say the beating(s)). It's impossible to keep up with what time frame the book is taking place and why the characters are interacting the way they do.
It feels like maybe it's just a story about humans doing human things, but in that case, it goes too far out into extremes too often. It's a little mixed up and discombobulated and doesn't really wrap it up together.
Felt drawn out. Oof.