beaneater
To tell you the truth, I was never a big fan of the film adaptation and it may have distorted my perception of the book a bit. But I'll try to be objective and see this first installment of the trilogy in all its glory, which everyone is rightfully praising.
The story is definitely out of its time, for which the author deserves a bow and a standing ovation. The first volume is so enriched with the history of a non-existent world that it feels almost real in places. History described in such depth that it may bore some readers to death, but extremely important to understanding the storyline.
I'm not rushing into the second volume, but it would be a shame to walk away from such a fantasy at the outset.
To tell you the truth, I was never a big fan of the film adaptation and it may have distorted my perception of the book a bit. But I'll try to be objective and see this first installment of the trilogy in all its glory, which everyone is rightfully praising.
The story is definitely out of its time, for which the author deserves a bow and a standing ovation. The first volume is so enriched with the history of a non-existent world that it feels almost real in places. History described in such depth that it may bore some readers to death, but extremely important to understanding the storyline.
I'm not rushing into the second volume, but it would be a shame to walk away from such a fantasy at the outset.
“Death is not the opposite of life but an innate part of life.”Wow. Reading this book was like reading an art, a masterpiece. It was my first time reading Murakami and I get why are there people who hate his work and people who absolutely love his work. And I'm one of the people who absolutely freaking loved it. The writing style is so beautiful it makes my soul happy. Reading it was like listening to a beautiful sad song that makes you nostalgic and you cry not because of sadness but because of how beautiful it is.I must wonder what the hell happened to Storm Trooper to disappear like that. Naoko also disappeared very unexpectedly. Her death was honestly a shock to me, I couldn't continue reading. I felt the same devastated emotions like Watanabe did and was happy that he didn't allow the darkness to swallow him like it did to Kizuki or Naoko. When he chooses Midori over Naoko, he basically chose to live and move on rather then be part of death.Some of the description of the women that Watanabe met might sound weird or even controversial. But it is from a adolescent man's point of view in the end.
“Death is not the opposite of life but an innate part of life.”Wow. Reading this book was like reading an art, a masterpiece. It was my first time reading Murakami and I get why are there people who hate his work and people who absolutely love his work. And I'm one of the people who absolutely freaking loved it. The writing style is so beautiful it makes my soul happy. Reading it was like listening to a beautiful sad song that makes you nostalgic and you cry not because of sadness but because of how beautiful it is.I must wonder what the hell happened to Storm Trooper to disappear like that. Naoko also disappeared very unexpectedly. Her death was honestly a shock to me, I couldn't continue reading. I felt the same devastated emotions like Watanabe did and was happy that he didn't allow the darkness to swallow him like it did to Kizuki or Naoko. When he chooses Midori over Naoko, he basically chose to live and move on rather then be part of death.Some of the description of the women that Watanabe met might sound weird or even controversial. But it is from a adolescent man's point of view in the end.
I was very excited to finally read this book but it left me somehow unsatisfied. The dystopian world of Gilead does sound complex, atrocious and also interesting. However the story of how the world became the way it is felt incomplete and we didn't really get much details of how it works or why it was okay for everyone to live in the system of Gilead.I found the narrative a little bit erratic, the main protagonist kept jumping from one memory in the past back to the present and it was very confusing at times. We know much more details about the main protagonists past before Gilead than the Gilead world itself which I think is a bit of shame and the potential of this story could be great but it is missed out. Also, what was wrong with the dialogue commas? I really couldn't tell if the characters are talking to each other or if the sentences are in the head of our protagonist.But I appreciate that the author choose kind of “open” ending for the readers and let us ask the questions if she really did get out of the Gilead or was she killed or worse... was she caught?
I was very excited to finally read this book but it left me somehow unsatisfied. The dystopian world of Gilead does sound complex, atrocious and also interesting. However the story of how the world became the way it is felt incomplete and we didn't really get much details of how it works or why it was okay for everyone to live in the system of Gilead.I found the narrative a little bit erratic, the main protagonist kept jumping from one memory in the past back to the present and it was very confusing at times. We know much more details about the main protagonists past before Gilead than the Gilead world itself which I think is a bit of shame and the potential of this story could be great but it is missed out. Also, what was wrong with the dialogue commas? I really couldn't tell if the characters are talking to each other or if the sentences are in the head of our protagonist.But I appreciate that the author choose kind of “open” ending for the readers and let us ask the questions if she really did get out of the Gilead or was she killed or worse... was she caught?
I'm not into short story collections in general, but this was a good read. One can take a break from more challenging reading with books like this, or by "killing time" when you're waiting for the fifth one in the office.
Of the collection, I liked Quitters, Inc. and The Ledge the best, they seemed the closest to reality of all the stories. I'd have to say the Battlefield was the most boring. So far so good for a first King story, next time I'll tackle the author's more familiar work.
I'm not into short story collections in general, but this was a good read. One can take a break from more challenging reading with books like this, or by "killing time" when you're waiting for the fifth one in the office.
Of the collection, I liked Quitters, Inc. and The Ledge the best, they seemed the closest to reality of all the stories. I'd have to say the Battlefield was the most boring. So far so good for a first King story, next time I'll tackle the author's more familiar work.
The all time favourite. The masterpiece. The chef's kiss.
I would read this piece anytime in a year with a blink of an eye! It has amazing plot with all the background details, likeable characters with very realistic reactions and behaviours AND the sad twist at the end.
If Mr. Blair would be alive today I would kiss his feet thousand times.
The all time favourite. The masterpiece. The chef's kiss.
I would read this piece anytime in a year with a blink of an eye! It has amazing plot with all the background details, likeable characters with very realistic reactions and behaviours AND the sad twist at the end.
If Mr. Blair would be alive today I would kiss his feet thousand times.
Nathaniel as the main young protagonist is stubborn and at times indecisive. But his stubbornness and indiscretion often pays off. He crosses paths with the (not so) powerful genie Bartimaeus - a demon with a narcissistic nature that doesn't irritate the reader with its hubris, but instead greatly amuses and makes us adore him even more.
So we have two characters with completely different characteristics, but who complement each other so beautifully and go hand in hand. Although they would sometimes prefer to strangle each other, there is a strong bond between them and we as readers witness some bromance moments.
The trilogy had me laughing so many times that I was clapping at some passages for a week. It's been a while since I've read the series, but I remember it with a smile, and maybe I'll read it again sometime to remind myself of Bartimaeus' colossal drama.
Nathaniel as the main young protagonist is stubborn and at times indecisive. But his stubbornness and indiscretion often pays off. He crosses paths with the (not so) powerful genie Bartimaeus - a demon with a narcissistic nature that doesn't irritate the reader with its hubris, but instead greatly amuses and makes us adore him even more.
So we have two characters with completely different characteristics, but who complement each other so beautifully and go hand in hand. Although they would sometimes prefer to strangle each other, there is a strong bond between them and we as readers witness some bromance moments.
The trilogy had me laughing so many times that I was clapping at some passages for a week. It's been a while since I've read the series, but I remember it with a smile, and maybe I'll read it again sometime to remind myself of Bartimaeus' colossal drama.
A book with a new and fresh idea that could have had much more potential. However, I feel like it wasn't carried through to the end and some history to why the situation is the way it is there was pretty missing. The reader is just thrown into the plot without any explanation and will be expected to understand everything.
As a dystopian sci-fi, the book didn't really impress me with anything other than the idea and it read very quickly due to the short chapters.
I kinda see where the author was pointing with the story. I see today's greedy and hypocritical society in the book. A society so greedy that they “eat” themselves out of greed.
But what spoiled the reading for me the most is the translation. Stylistically, I loathed it and felt like I was reading a fan fiction story on Wattpad. For me, this translation looks like it's from an elementary school kid who doesn't have a sufficiently developed vocabulary yet.
But despite the terrible translation, I give the book a better 2 stars.
A book with a new and fresh idea that could have had much more potential. However, I feel like it wasn't carried through to the end and some history to why the situation is the way it is there was pretty missing. The reader is just thrown into the plot without any explanation and will be expected to understand everything.
As a dystopian sci-fi, the book didn't really impress me with anything other than the idea and it read very quickly due to the short chapters.
I kinda see where the author was pointing with the story. I see today's greedy and hypocritical society in the book. A society so greedy that they “eat” themselves out of greed.
But what spoiled the reading for me the most is the translation. Stylistically, I loathed it and felt like I was reading a fan fiction story on Wattpad. For me, this translation looks like it's from an elementary school kid who doesn't have a sufficiently developed vocabulary yet.
But despite the terrible translation, I give the book a better 2 stars.
I enjoyed the narrative from three perspectives, we saw different thought processes in each of the characters and also their personal shift due to even the smallest event. If they were giving out awards for the greatest characteristic shift in literary creation, Walter Tevis would definitely win it for Bentley. His phrase: “My God, the world can be beautiful sometimes.” resonated with me, and even after finishing the book, the character left me with a strange feeling. Perhaps my biggest regret was that a world automated by robots-with humanity slowly sinking into extinction because it relies on technology of its own creation-didn't feel complete, and I would have loved to read more about such a dystopia. It was still missing something. The plot idea is certainly interesting, topical...? I see that more on 1984 than Mockingbird.
I enjoyed the narrative from three perspectives, we saw different thought processes in each of the characters and also their personal shift due to even the smallest event. If they were giving out awards for the greatest characteristic shift in literary creation, Walter Tevis would definitely win it for Bentley. His phrase: “My God, the world can be beautiful sometimes.” resonated with me, and even after finishing the book, the character left me with a strange feeling. Perhaps my biggest regret was that a world automated by robots-with humanity slowly sinking into extinction because it relies on technology of its own creation-didn't feel complete, and I would have loved to read more about such a dystopia. It was still missing something. The plot idea is certainly interesting, topical...? I see that more on 1984 than Mockingbird.
