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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel like I was only able to make sense of this because I have a Pisces mercury
What the fuck was that. I loved it. In a style that is fitting of the novel, I was recommended this book but now can’t remember who by, and I’m desperate to talk to them about it. Lyrical, with a sense of mutability to it, this novel unfolds and slips through fingers like a dream. On a sentence by sentence level, this novel is a delight. For quite some time, I had no idea what was going on, but I loved the fundamental concepts and writing. A strange train. Memories and pieces of a story coming together. Mongooses. But then, the elements began to click. I’m still not sure what happened here, but I want to read it again and find out what I missed. A brilliant, if not baffling novel, that drips with cinematic Wes Anderson setting and dialogue, a Studio Ghibli sense of whimsy and magic, and a classic-detective style mystery. My only complaint is that I really don’t know if I understood. I think I do? Maybe. Loved it, though.
DNF - incoherent for no reason.
preserving my peace here. I don’t want it to be THIS hard to understand what the hell is going on in a book. It was abstract but not in an artful way— it felt conscious of its confusion, taunting me. I started to get really annoyed with the author.
Now I’ve read and enjoyed some absurdist books before (Tacky Goblin, Eeeee Eee Eee or whatever). I’m not opposed to the genre. But you have to give me SOMETHING, some thread to follow along. An interesting character, a theme, a vibe, vivid images…. This book gave me nothing to hold on to. And honestly, nothing interesting enough for me to try harder to understand.
preserving my peace here. I don’t want it to be THIS hard to understand what the hell is going on in a book. It was abstract but not in an artful way— it felt conscious of its confusion, taunting me. I started to get really annoyed with the author.
Now I’ve read and enjoyed some absurdist books before (Tacky Goblin, Eeeee Eee Eee or whatever). I’m not opposed to the genre. But you have to give me SOMETHING, some thread to follow along. An interesting character, a theme, a vibe, vivid images…. This book gave me nothing to hold on to. And honestly, nothing interesting enough for me to try harder to understand.
This book drew me in, then got real weird fast in a wtf is going on sort of way and I considered stopping but finished and am glad I did. I can’t say I enjoyed or disliked this novel and I wouldn’t recommend it per se but I did appreciate how the story unfolded and connections were made. Another reviewer equated it to an Agatha Christy train mystery meets Wes Anderson and I’d add there’s a surreal, Murakami-esque quality which I like. But in the end I’m left feeling like I missed some deeper meaning.
I don't really know what happened here. It was OK but very random and jumpy and bizarre.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
last year i fell in love with Mr. Fox by Oyeyemi and was a little worried that her newer work would engage me less but i was so wrong to worry. this book didn't go where i thought it was going and it's a much better book for it. i adore Oyeyemi's prose and the cleverness of her words that, despite their more-than-occassional snide lilt, still hold such a sincerity to them. her witticisms aren't detached from emotion, but stronger because of the messy feelings of her characters. and everything that happens is a fantastic ride from start to finish!
A very delightful book! I started it a couple years ago, lost it, and then found it and finally got around to finishing it. If you're willing to surrender to having not a clue what is going on, the experience of reading this book is like a series of pleasant fever dreams, with playful prose and the occasional very profound line/image. Also everyone is gay. If you're very concerned about things like "what is this book about?" or "what is the plot?" or "does any of this make any sense?", then you may have a less enjoyable time with this book than I did. (I also really wish Helen Oyeyemi would write another short story collection like please it would be so good)
A little hard to follow…a surrealistic narrative dare…but I really admire the author for the idea and the complexity of the characters. At the end, I wasn’t sure who was real or imagined.