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A review by doritobabe
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
4.0
June 2018: while re-shelving I feel myself wanting to give this a higher grade because I have fond memories of the story now that some time has gone by... 3.5/5
I am having a hard time deciding my feelings about this book. I would like to give it 2/5 stars, and not 3, but since goodreads does not allow this I will settle for 3/5 symbolizing a whopping "2.5" stars.
This is my second foray into M Faber's 'fiction' (so obviously science fiction, yet not labeled as such) as I began with "Under the Skin" which I adored for its succinctness, simplicity, and thought provoking themes about "vegetarianism" (if you have read the text, you will understand the need for quotation marks) that made it a thoughtful piece of literature rather than a mindless summer read. I was hoping for the same from The Book of Strange New Things as it appears to encapsulate my favorite things to read about: aliens.
However, this text was too filled with literal and thematic preaching and endless conversational dribble that did not advance the plot. Really, the book has so much potential for being a very exciting read that borders on anthropological-science-fiction, but I feel like it lost much of its momentum part way through. Most of the time, it felt as though Faber realized that he was paid to write a 500 page text instead of something like Under the Skin--which averaged maybe 300-- and decided his best to do so. For instance, many of the exciting elements introduced in the introduction of the novel quickly fell to the way side. The mystery shrouding the missing people on Oasis could have turned suspenseful and adventurous; the quiet-yet-suspicious members of USIC could have yielded cool plot advancement and danger for our protagonist and is friend Grainger (who was most definitely wasted potential of a character); Bea, being the readers only link to the desperation and suffering of those on Earth, took a selfish and pathetic turn for the worse and definitely brought down the excitement level of the book IMMENSELY with her self-pitying... maybe I am being too harsh with her? If not for her use to support the plot and the reason for the USIC colony, which was very minor, this information could have been delivered otherwise... I cannot tell you how tired I was reading about clothing and consoling neighbours and what the cat was doing...blah blah blah. Not exciting stuff.
After awhile, within sight of the end of this book, I was hoping for some plot twist that would throw me back into what excited me in the first place about this book, but alas, Faber neatly wrapped up all he started with--in a brown wrapped paper package that was sealed with scotch tape-- and ended the text with our character a changed man.
I will have to admit that Peter was an interesting character; displaying how people can exist in extreme states of being and habit as this is how they feel change can come about for them. What I mean by this, is that Peter was once an alcoholic drug addict (typical) who was saved by his wife, Bea, because she introduced him to God. Much of the story revolves around this dependency and guidance from God. Faber endlessly quoting scripture and biblical history to the reader in what feels like an attempt to convert them. By the end, Peter doesn't know where he stands (I suppose the humor in this is literal as during this self-transformation period he is usually literally lost or traversing a desert or some other liminial position) and this is where this entire book ends up: after affecting others positively, I suppose he is to return to Earth to save it (at least for his wife) from ruin. How heroic! Or boring? Maybe this book just wasn't for me...
I am having a hard time deciding my feelings about this book. I would like to give it 2/5 stars, and not 3, but since goodreads does not allow this I will settle for 3/5 symbolizing a whopping "2.5" stars.
This is my second foray into M Faber's 'fiction' (so obviously science fiction, yet not labeled as such) as I began with "Under the Skin" which I adored for its succinctness, simplicity, and thought provoking themes about "vegetarianism" (if you have read the text, you will understand the need for quotation marks) that made it a thoughtful piece of literature rather than a mindless summer read. I was hoping for the same from The Book of Strange New Things as it appears to encapsulate my favorite things to read about: aliens.
However, this text was too filled with literal and thematic preaching and endless conversational dribble that did not advance the plot. Really, the book has so much potential for being a very exciting read that borders on anthropological-science-fiction, but I feel like it lost much of its momentum part way through. Most of the time, it felt as though Faber realized that he was paid to write a 500 page text instead of something like Under the Skin--which averaged maybe 300-- and decided his best to do so. For instance, many of the exciting elements introduced in the introduction of the novel quickly fell to the way side. The mystery shrouding the missing people on Oasis could have turned suspenseful and adventurous; the quiet-yet-suspicious members of USIC could have yielded cool plot advancement and danger for our protagonist and is friend Grainger (who was most definitely wasted potential of a character); Bea, being the readers only link to the desperation and suffering of those on Earth, took a selfish and pathetic turn for the worse and definitely brought down the excitement level of the book IMMENSELY with her self-pitying... maybe I am being too harsh with her? If not for her use to support the plot and the reason for the USIC colony, which was very minor, this information could have been delivered otherwise... I cannot tell you how tired I was reading about clothing and consoling neighbours and what the cat was doing...blah blah blah. Not exciting stuff.
After awhile, within sight of the end of this book, I was hoping for some plot twist that would throw me back into what excited me in the first place about this book, but alas, Faber neatly wrapped up all he started with--in a brown wrapped paper package that was sealed with scotch tape-- and ended the text with our character a changed man.
I will have to admit that Peter was an interesting character; displaying how people can exist in extreme states of being and habit as this is how they feel change can come about for them. What I mean by this, is that Peter was once an alcoholic drug addict (typical) who was saved by his wife, Bea, because she introduced him to God. Much of the story revolves around this dependency and guidance from God. Faber endlessly quoting scripture and biblical history to the reader in what feels like an attempt to convert them. By the end, Peter doesn't know where he stands (I suppose the humor in this is literal as during this self-transformation period he is usually literally lost or traversing a desert or some other liminial position) and this is where this entire book ends up: after affecting others positively, I suppose he is to return to Earth to save it (at least for his wife) from ruin. How heroic! Or boring? Maybe this book just wasn't for me...