Javor
Well, finally, a new trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, this time different, yet still similar in his signature fashion. The differences lie in the setting and a more action packed package. Instead of a fantasy land with some magic, this one is set in an alternate Europe with considerably more magic. Everything else feels familiar; a collage of morally gray characters (more black than gray, but alas), including an old, grumpy figure full of regrets yet indifferent (and who hates stairs), a piece-of-shit character destined for royalty, a rough barbarian constantly at risk of slipping into mindless frenzy, and the inevitable puppet master pulling strings by the book’s end. There are a few fresh faces, but you get the idea; Joe kept one foot on firm Father Earth while dipping the other into the unexplored waters of Mother Sea.
I’m not saying it’s bad, quite the opposite. I think he struck a sweet spot between the familiar and the new; it’s how he did it that bothers me.
Someone on Reddit wrote that it feels like your favorite alternative band playing more mainstream, pop-ier songs, and I couldn’t agree more. Joe’s usual writing thrives on suspense, gradual unfolding, and satisfying character development, culminating in a crescendo of plot twists. Here, the buildup is rushed, and once the story kicks off, it’s just action scene after action scene. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good (the only thing that I can say against his writing is that he does not do it as often as I would like to),but the relentless barrage grows grating. The inner monologues and multi-POV scenes are there, but they are a shadow of what I’ve come to expect from this beutiful man. I miss the long bridges, the witty verses, and so on. Choruses are fun,but a chorus among choruses just becomes noise. Ok enough of this shitty analogy of mine.
Another gripe is the dialogue in some places. I don’t know how else to put it, but at times, it feels… "Marvely"? That "Okay, that just happened" vibe. Multiple times a character lists off all the bizarre events in a way that feels cheap and unnecessary.
Still, I hold high hopes for the sequel (mainly because Abercrombie’s books are among the few joys of my life… but we all know how it is with hope). I’m glad he’s trying something new—the worst thing an author can do is write the same book over and over (or kill someone, but that’s beside the point). His first trilogy installments are always the weakest, but they walk so the second can run, so the third can leap up and hits you in the face until you forget which way is up and which one is down, and he makes it makes enjoy every second of it.
For now, there’s nothing to do but hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Cheers.
This one did not quite click with me, but I still liked that I read it. It follows a young gay man growing up in rural France in a working class conservative family, and it has everything you would expect from the premise; his confrontation with his family and their unapproval of him and his alienation from them, his hopes and dreams and struggles to achieve them, his coming of age and finding his place in a society and people like him.
The main thing I can criticize is the middle of the book. It is a pretty long description of French politics in his youth and his prolonged thoughts about it. It is interesting at first to see how politics breathe in another country, but this goes on for far too long and in too much detail.
The book is written pretty cold-headed and objective, sterile almost, which was very surprising and interesting in some way and also annoying. It feels empty without some descriptions of his inner self after living such youth and after so many slaps in the face, maybe I am again jealous at someones peace of mind.... Oh well.
Cheers.
Rarely do I have an urge to read the book twice, that I understood anyway. And you guessed it, this is one of them.
It is just more than feminist essay, it is a piece of author's ideas that puts you closer to that far-away peace of mind of understanding human nature. The slow paced old type of writing just gets under your skin and just calms down all the questions of society, what it means to be an author, and what we need to secure to make the most of them and as many as possible. They may not be 100% true but it does a great job of visualizing problems and pointing them out, which for me is hard considering that everything we humans are chaotic and a lot of people (aka society) is chaos beyond words.
Some of the points are outdated of course, but they are interesting in historic view, actually the books covers problems in history and problems that are still burning and will burn until there are woman, authors, until they turn to ash together with this world for the sake of the writing.
On the beginning of the book I was afraid that when I die, nobody will be sorry nor sad. Very human and selfish of me I know.
Trough the middle of the book I was afraid of becomig jaded and forgetting how to live and how to love.
In the end I was afraid that death will be the only truth in my life.
I hope those fears are here to stay.
Cheers.
I am always jealous when author can be focused and concise to write a short book in which they can build believable world, set interesting characters and make mundane things, such as training a bird, engaging.
But I am split in my thinking of the book shortness. I am disappointed that the story ended when characters where just set to be fully developed. On the other hand maybe Fonda said everything she had to say, and for me to search for more is just greedy. I am sad that it ended so soon, but good things end soon, which makes this a book good, a very good book indeed.
Cheers.
Got this book after History of Knowledge (which I really liked) and I can not say anything new that has not been said in comments before this one.
The book is overexplained and has that bit of a pretentious tone of a snob writer. I must say that over explanation is sometimes needed so that every reader can get writer's ideas and points. Especially in science books, or whenever author has something refreshing or interesting to say
But there is nothing interesting here.
The analysis goes very shallow and does not branch out into other themes that can be associated with reading.
If I did not know half the things that are written in this book I could not read it and understand it at all.
Or maybe the pretentious tone of the book reminded me of my own pretentious writing style.
Yikes.
Cheers anyways.
It is like American psycho set in 19th century France. Just unnecessary long of conversations that go nowhere, and descriptions that serve no purpose. But instead of being done intentionally it feels like author tried to imitate descriptiveness of russian realism but got focused on wrong things. It is a good premise but could be easily be done in less the 100 pages.
Cheers.
Fyodor can be a genius immersing you in human psyche and of course, writing intruding and impressively winding dialogue.
But this book... It feels like Fyodor got an assignment to write a novel with absurdly high word count and is struggling to come up with anything new so he does what everyone does in that situation and fills the pages with vacuum.
Not my canister of tea.
Cheers.
You know that feeling when you read a good book and it feels everything you do can be connected what you just read.
Like a shadow you can not get a rid of, it is annoying but comforting at the same time. You found yourself between those pages and found an author who shares same human feelings and thoughts as you. It reminds you that you are not special, you just need to think less and talk more. And also that shadow throws a shade on everything you read in near future. You wish that every next book has similar shape and words like that shadow. But it is hard to accept that every book should be different and that every man and woman are pretty much the same.
I did not write anything about the book itself, because I do not want to. I want anyone to read it with an empty mind and take from it as much as they can.
Cheers
A perfect entry book if you want to want to enter a long dark,cold and very descriptive world of classic Russian novels.
It has all the ingredients that make a classic Russian novel; depressing Russian atmosphere, long descriptive dialogue, focus on motives and thoughts of the characters, and so on, and so on... but it is short, very short in comparison to others of its kind and it is written in first person.
I found it very similar to Crime and Punishment, especially the main character. On the other hand, the perspective from the first person really gives it a more direct approach to main character line of thought which is refreshing for the genre. The first part of the book is just one big monologue, which might as well be my favorite piece of literature, later it waters down with an actual story but still remains what it is, just a great read that I can not describe how much I am happy to pick up.
Cheers.
A tense, mysterius, unforgiving and on the moments humerus novel set in small region in the tense, mysterius, unforgiving and on the moments humerus Balkans.
It is a thriller and a book about life small remote village among small folk and their small lives. The "thriller" side (I do not like that term and I do not know if I am using it corectly but my lack of vocabulary and laziness are here so it will do) is interesting and it keeps the plot going and I like the interwined realistic perspective and childlike naive fantasy that softens (or worsens) some grussome scenes.
Personally I read far too many books covering the theme of growing up in rural parts of South-Eastern Europe, and yes I am from those parts (if my grammar did not uncover that yet) so for me it felt a bit repetitive but I think that outsider may find a lot of interesting here.
Cheers.
The first book I reecomend to anyone who asks for a good read.
It breaks boundaries what book can be and it that freedom it plays with charming playfulness and imagination. Had a happy grin on my face through the whole book.
If you have book burn out or a feeling that every book that you read is pretty much the same, give a Traveler a chance, he will lead you outside on cold winter air. Breathe in the cold air and hopefully you will remember why you feel in love with the books.
Cheers.
Fun fact: In 1961 this book and LOTR were nomineted for Nobel price, and guess which one won... This one.
Now that I have your attention, I can start mansplaining.
Even though I think LOTR is not that great of a book, the incredibly detailed world that Tolkien made made such an impact on literature and all other media can be hardly be explained by words. This book is also very detailed and narrative but is realistic and brutal as much as LOTR is not, and pretty much forgotten outside countries of former Yugoslavia and literature snobs( I think).
The book takes historical approach of telling the story of the bridge and settlement around it (Višegrad) across several centuries. As bloodsheds, wars, and different authorities take over, and characters change frequently the bridge stands as a striking monument defying the time itself, like a sleeping stone giant.
It is a slow read mind you. Like a grampa telling you story of the old days, but it is interesting and will warm you and tuck you in its pages in that dark and raw way that eastern European books do.
Cheers.