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A review by biolexicon
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
4.0
The preface, corrections and acknowledgement sections MADE this book, hands down. Dave Eggers has such a quirky personality that it was delightful to hear his comments on something so familiar. The story itself, sadly enough, was disappointing in comparison. I could only read it in short parts, and it lacked the structure to be a novel. It seemed much more like strung together ramblings and short stories.
Regarding Eggers writing itself, it was very self-indulgent, very public. He has no inhibition or shame, nor concept of what’s meant to be left private. This works for setting up quirky circumstances and detailed descriptions, but as a whole it leaves the reader feeling overwhelmed fairly quickly.
One thing worth saying is that it was very funny. The novel’s humor didn’t seemed canned or forced, it made me laugh out loud, which is something I rarely do while reading (though I am guilty of saying so when a book really gives me only an internal chuckle).
On a closing, sort of unrelated note, I read the ending to this book while stranded on the side of the highway in Missouri. I was on a family trip and the tire to our truck blew out. We were stuck there for two and a half hours. Eggers’ writing fit the mood so perfectly; it was very odd.
Regarding Eggers writing itself, it was very self-indulgent, very public. He has no inhibition or shame, nor concept of what’s meant to be left private. This works for setting up quirky circumstances and detailed descriptions, but as a whole it leaves the reader feeling overwhelmed fairly quickly.
One thing worth saying is that it was very funny. The novel’s humor didn’t seemed canned or forced, it made me laugh out loud, which is something I rarely do while reading (though I am guilty of saying so when a book really gives me only an internal chuckle).
On a closing, sort of unrelated note, I read the ending to this book while stranded on the side of the highway in Missouri. I was on a family trip and the tire to our truck blew out. We were stuck there for two and a half hours. Eggers’ writing fit the mood so perfectly; it was very odd.