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thereaderdragon 's review for:
The List
by Patricia Forde
DID NOT FINISH
DNF @ 36%
Actual Rating: 2.5
In the future, global warming has led to a mass-melting, which has flooded the world and destroyed most of the written word. Words no longer exist as they once did, and everyone speaks List: a language that is strictly controlled. List only allows people to speak certain words, and if you are caught speaking non-List, you risk banishment.
In the town of Ark, the wordsmith Benjamin and his apprentice, Letta, are in charge of finding and collecting the words of old so as the language will never truly be forgotten. Their job is to store words that are removed from circulation, and to also supply specialised word-sets to those requiring specific words for each individual profession.
When Benjamin leaves town on a word-collecting trip, Letta crosses paths with a young boy named Marlo who is a desecrator - one who does not obey the List. Injured and being hunted by gavvers, Letta decides to help the boy get back to his own people, risking her own livelihood in doing so.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique, but I just don't know if it's something that can be portrayed all too well in a novel. It reminded me a bit of The Book of Eli, so I think it would be a story much better suited to a film, and something that I'd willingly pay money to see. In novel form however, the story is very slow going, and I often felt my attention drifting.
The List-speak was interesting, though it did mess with the flow of text when used in dialogue. All I could think of whenever anyone spoke was the voice of a stereotypical neanderthal. Ya know, deep, gruff, and unintelligent. I just couldn't wrap my head completely around it, and a lot of the talk - whilst extremely simple - was completely lost on me.
All-in-all the idea behind The List is a unique one, but it's a story that's difficult to tell. Forde has done an excellent job creating an interesting world that is no longer ruled by words, but where words are ruled by humans. I am sure there are many people who would gain pleasure from this story, but it's unfortunately just a little too slow going for my liking.
I may very well come back to this one in the future, but for now I need to put it on hold.
Actual Rating: 2.5
In the future, global warming has led to a mass-melting, which has flooded the world and destroyed most of the written word. Words no longer exist as they once did, and everyone speaks List: a language that is strictly controlled. List only allows people to speak certain words, and if you are caught speaking non-List, you risk banishment.
In the town of Ark, the wordsmith Benjamin and his apprentice, Letta, are in charge of finding and collecting the words of old so as the language will never truly be forgotten. Their job is to store words that are removed from circulation, and to also supply specialised word-sets to those requiring specific words for each individual profession.
When Benjamin leaves town on a word-collecting trip, Letta crosses paths with a young boy named Marlo who is a desecrator - one who does not obey the List. Injured and being hunted by gavvers, Letta decides to help the boy get back to his own people, risking her own livelihood in doing so.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique, but I just don't know if it's something that can be portrayed all too well in a novel. It reminded me a bit of The Book of Eli, so I think it would be a story much better suited to a film, and something that I'd willingly pay money to see. In novel form however, the story is very slow going, and I often felt my attention drifting.
The List-speak was interesting, though it did mess with the flow of text when used in dialogue. All I could think of whenever anyone spoke was the voice of a stereotypical neanderthal. Ya know, deep, gruff, and unintelligent. I just couldn't wrap my head completely around it, and a lot of the talk - whilst extremely simple - was completely lost on me.
All-in-all the idea behind The List is a unique one, but it's a story that's difficult to tell. Forde has done an excellent job creating an interesting world that is no longer ruled by words, but where words are ruled by humans. I am sure there are many people who would gain pleasure from this story, but it's unfortunately just a little too slow going for my liking.
I may very well come back to this one in the future, but for now I need to put it on hold.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC