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rubywarhol 's review for:
Time Out of Joint
by Philip K. Dick
5 stars for content, 3.8 for language as the first 30-50% of the book sounded a bit stilted and dry at times, although the language suddenly became marvelously poetic and philosophical in the second half.
This was one of my first science-fiction books and it was from the 1950s as well, which was funny to read because people are casually talking about WWII and the things they used to do before the war, and now the war is over and the economy is crashing and they're just reading the newspaper and playing poker. Jack Daniel's already exists, at least in some circles, but telegrams are still common practice and the moon landing hasn't happened yet. TV and washing machines have just been invented, lasagne and espresso are still seen as exotic.
But for some reason, radios are already a thing of the past. That was the first thing that made me go "hm okay".
And more weird things start happening.
The whole time I was like "okay what the HELL is going on now" and I loved it. Whenever I thought something was going to get explained, the author just casually used a random made-up word as if referring to an everyday activity, and raised more questions instead of answers. This created gripping suspense and a weirdly comforting sense of disconnection from reality.
Especially the second half contained many scenes that could be described in modern terms as oddcore with liminal space elements. The hauntingly vivid images stayed with me like landscapes from a dream.
You realise early on that something is different and the world is just slightly off but you don't know why. There is this prevalent feeling that none of what's happening makes any sense, but it feels so familiar for whatever reason.
The book made me question reality, other people, and myself. There's always a creepy vibe in the background, some feeling of being controlled, but by who? And for what purpose?
To compare it with other similar media, I would name "The Truman Show" and the book "The Memory Police", both of which I think were heavily inspired by this book and the author should get credit for it.
I can't include all of my favourite quotes because of spoilers but here's some:
"The clues we are getting don't give us a solution; they only show us how far-reaching the wrongness is."
"We have a hodge-podge of leaks in our reality, he said to himself. A drop here, a couple of drops over in that corner. A moist spot forming on the ceiling. But where's it getting in? What's it mean?"
"In the cramped environment of little houses, with the car parked under the kitchen window, clothes hanging in the yard, countless skimpy errands keeping her involved until nothing else is left, only a preoccupation with things to get done, things to have ready. Isn't that enough for me? Aren't I satisfied?"
This was one of my first science-fiction books and it was from the 1950s as well, which was funny to read because people are casually talking about WWII and the things they used to do before the war, and now the war is over and the economy is crashing and they're just reading the newspaper and playing poker. Jack Daniel's already exists, at least in some circles, but telegrams are still common practice and the moon landing hasn't happened yet. TV and washing machines have just been invented, lasagne and espresso are still seen as exotic.
But for some reason, radios are already a thing of the past. That was the first thing that made me go "hm okay".
And more weird things start happening.
The whole time I was like "okay what the HELL is going on now" and I loved it. Whenever I thought something was going to get explained, the author just casually used a random made-up word as if referring to an everyday activity, and raised more questions instead of answers. This created gripping suspense and a weirdly comforting sense of disconnection from reality.
Especially the second half contained many scenes that could be described in modern terms as oddcore with liminal space elements. The hauntingly vivid images stayed with me like landscapes from a dream.
You realise early on that something is different and the world is just slightly off but you don't know why. There is this prevalent feeling that none of what's happening makes any sense, but it feels so familiar for whatever reason.
The book made me question reality, other people, and myself. There's always a creepy vibe in the background, some feeling of being controlled, but by who? And for what purpose?
To compare it with other similar media, I would name "The Truman Show" and the book "The Memory Police", both of which I think were heavily inspired by this book and the author should get credit for it.
I can't include all of my favourite quotes because of spoilers but here's some:
"The clues we are getting don't give us a solution; they only show us how far-reaching the wrongness is."
"We have a hodge-podge of leaks in our reality, he said to himself. A drop here, a couple of drops over in that corner. A moist spot forming on the ceiling. But where's it getting in? What's it mean?"
"In the cramped environment of little houses, with the car parked under the kitchen window, clothes hanging in the yard, countless skimpy errands keeping her involved until nothing else is left, only a preoccupation with things to get done, things to have ready. Isn't that enough for me? Aren't I satisfied?"