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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
This might be the most original story I've ever read - also one of the most disturbing. Five stars, but I'd probably never recommend it to a friend.
F***** at every f***** turn and I loved every minute of it
I'm not going to lie and say this book was easy to get through, because it wasn't. It is absolutely gut-wrenching, and I found myself cursing each every character at some point in the novel. Some of the things the characters in this book do forced me to close it and calm down for a couple minutes, but that's what I love about it. It's weird, it's twisted, and it makes you cringe. It doesn't pull punches, it doesn't apologize, and I love that.
There were times I regretted starting this book, but it was never because the writing was bad. This book doesn't let the reader off easy, it evokes the strongest emotions out of its readers possible. Like I said, it is gut-wrenching. The full spectrum of emotions is evoked in this novel, but to be honest, there is a lot of horror and pain. One thing I loved about this book was that none of the characters are blameless. Sure, some can claim more blame then others (MUCH more), but there are no blameless characters. I think that's what makes the end of the Fabulon so absolutely tragic. There are things each character could have done differently to prevent it, and they didn't see it.
I've seen a lot of people remark that none of the characters could be sympathised with, and I have to disagree. Yes, all of them do reprehensible things, but I think the beauty of Dunn's writing is that despite this, she manages to force you to sympathise with them at least once or twice, even Arty. To me, most of the characters are working within a situation where there is no way they'd be normal, no way they'd be acceptable by our moral standards. At least for me, Dunn did a good job of adjusting those moral standards over the course of the novel. The incest undertones, while normally shocking and disgusting, became acceptable when compared to everything else the characters did, for example.
The writing, for me, was great. At times it became sort of heavy-handed. Dunn takes a really long time to describe certain things that are seemingly unimportant. She also fails to describe some things that are extremely important (like the fire). But in general, the writing's very witty, making me laugh out loud at times. There were a couple gems that I had to write down just because the quotes took me aback. Say what you will about the book, but there is no way it can be argued that the writing isn't good.
I think this book would have benefited from being totally in 3rd person, omniscient narrator. The constant question of what's going on once Oly is no longer quite in the loop wasn't intriguing, it was frustrating. Furthermore, some of the characters have great potential that's wasted. I am so sad not to know how the twins tick, because I find them so interesting. Dunn wasted Chick as well, who was just so interesting and only used a tool. This was, possibly, the most frustrating thing.
Another small complaint is that despite Dunn's at times over-description, the physical deformities (such as Arty's and the Jar Kin) are so complex and strange they are impossible to imagine. I really think the book could have benefited from an illustration or two. I had to resort to Google.
All in all, a book that I won't call wonderful, but I will call hard to put down. Even if I did ever find myself capable of not finishing a book, I would have finished this one simply of out of morbid fascination. Despite the characters being completely without morals and doing things that are absolutely reprehensible, they still remain human to me, which is a great feat. I'd definitely recommend it to someone who doesn't get shocked easily.
There were times I regretted starting this book, but it was never because the writing was bad. This book doesn't let the reader off easy, it evokes the strongest emotions out of its readers possible. Like I said, it is gut-wrenching. The full spectrum of emotions is evoked in this novel, but to be honest, there is a lot of horror and pain. One thing I loved about this book was that none of the characters are blameless. Sure, some can claim more blame then others (MUCH more), but there are no blameless characters. I think that's what makes the end of the Fabulon so absolutely tragic. There are things each character could have done differently to prevent it, and they didn't see it.
I've seen a lot of people remark that none of the characters could be sympathised with, and I have to disagree. Yes, all of them do reprehensible things, but I think the beauty of Dunn's writing is that despite this, she manages to force you to sympathise with them at least once or twice, even Arty. To me, most of the characters are working within a situation where there is no way they'd be normal, no way they'd be acceptable by our moral standards. At least for me, Dunn did a good job of adjusting those moral standards over the course of the novel. The incest undertones, while normally shocking and disgusting, became acceptable when compared to everything else the characters did, for example.
The writing, for me, was great. At times it became sort of heavy-handed. Dunn takes a really long time to describe certain things that are seemingly unimportant. She also fails to describe some things that are extremely important (like the fire). But in general, the writing's very witty, making me laugh out loud at times. There were a couple gems that I had to write down just because the quotes took me aback. Say what you will about the book, but there is no way it can be argued that the writing isn't good.
I think this book would have benefited from being totally in 3rd person, omniscient narrator. The constant question of what's going on once Oly is no longer quite in the loop wasn't intriguing, it was frustrating. Furthermore, some of the characters have great potential that's wasted. I am so sad not to know how the twins tick, because I find them so interesting. Dunn wasted Chick as well, who was just so interesting and only used a tool. This was, possibly, the most frustrating thing.
Another small complaint is that despite Dunn's at times over-description, the physical deformities (such as Arty's and the Jar Kin) are so complex and strange they are impossible to imagine. I really think the book could have benefited from an illustration or two. I had to resort to Google.
All in all, a book that I won't call wonderful, but I will call hard to put down. Even if I did ever find myself capable of not finishing a book, I would have finished this one simply of out of morbid fascination. Despite the characters being completely without morals and doing things that are absolutely reprehensible, they still remain human to me, which is a great feat. I'd definitely recommend it to someone who doesn't get shocked easily.
I genuinely don’t understand the hype for this book. For a story about a disfigured culty family, this was unbelievably boring, and shockingly poorly written
"Then there are those who feel their own strangeness and are terrified by it. They struggle toward normalcy. They suffer to exactly that degree that they are unable to appear normal to others, or to convince themselves that their aberration does not exist. These are true freaks, who appear, almost always, conventional and dull."
"N.S.: If you could make it happen by snapping your fingers, wouldn't you want your whole family to be physically and mentally normal?'
Oly: That's ridiculous! Each of us is unique. We are masterpieces. Why would I want us to change into assembly-line items? The only way you people can tell each other apart is by your clothes."
"N.S.: If you could make it happen by snapping your fingers, wouldn't you want your whole family to be physically and mentally normal?'
Oly: That's ridiculous! Each of us is unique. We are masterpieces. Why would I want us to change into assembly-line items? The only way you people can tell each other apart is by your clothes."
the tale of the binewskis, a family of sideshow marvels...featuring one of the scariest antagonists i've ever come across in literature. great book, though it gets a bit muddled at the end.
This book was complex, intriguing, and honestly? Downright weird. This isn’t my preferred genre, but I did enjoy it. As many reviewers have mentioned, the climax felt a bit rushed. But everything else was an enjoyable ride with a touch of magical realism. This book gave me a bit of a pit in my stomach while reading in anticipation for jump scares, but when it ended I felt just as intrigued by it as when I first started.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the first book that I've ever actively chosen to stop reading. I tried to distance myself and remember that it was fiction, but it was too disturbing and I couldn't force myself to finish it.