I'm a 90's kid, so even though it's not fair, I associate Chuck Palahniuk with twist endings. Invisible Monsters delivered the twists over and over agI'm a 90's kid, so even though it's not fair, I associate Chuck Palahniuk with twist endings. Invisible Monsters delivered the twists over and over again. I thought I had it all figured out, then I didn't, then I didn't again, and then I didn't again. It was a very fun read. It had the hallmark twisted deviance of Palahniuk and gave me everything I wanted from the book. ...more
I'm amazed at Brust's ability to to write in such different styles. This book broke each chapter down into multiple parts. One part dealt with the proI'm amazed at Brust's ability to to write in such different styles. This book broke each chapter down into multiple parts. One part dealt with the protagonists history with the artists around him, one dealt with what was currently going on with those relationships, one dealt with his actual work on the painting, one dealt with a Hungarian folk tale, and one dealt with philosophical insights into everything else. There was some overlap of course, but generally each section told its own part of the story. Despite the breakup, things flowed. Even the folk tale with different characters.
I was invested in the story the entire time. I enjoyed watching the painting unfold, and I was caught up in the drama of the studio. I really enjoyed reading the "Art Theory" and listen to the characters break down what was and wasn't art. What was good and what wasn't. The read was fast and I liked almost all of it.
Three stars though. Why? Well as much as I enjoyed the process, the final product felt a little lacking. I felt like Brust told me to look at things, told me they were tied together, and then ended it. I felt like the plot needed more shoring up at the end. I wanted to know if the monster was well received, I wanted to know how the show went, I want to know a lot that I just didn't get to find out about. I realize the story wasn't actually about the characters and that they were just there as vehicles to carry the art, but I still cared and felt a little let down at the end.
Also, I think it's not fair that Brust made me think about Vlad the whole time. I mean the shaman is called a Taltos...I would have liked to have known that when I picked up the Vlad series. Even in the epilogue Brust is citing some historian or something named Teckla. How can Teckla be someones name? I feel like I got a peek behind the curtain or something. (Not that this is good or bad, I'm just saying.)...more
I'm very torn on this book. On the one had the story was great. Vlad finds himself in the territory of an old enemy who knows he's there. Or rather, sI'm very torn on this book. On the one had the story was great. Vlad finds himself in the territory of an old enemy who knows he's there. Or rather, some new character finds Vlad in a territory where Vlad's old enemy is going after him. The book deviates from the series in that it's the first where the narration isn't by Vlad (presumably to the little box). The switch to third person limited some of the strongest points of the story, most significantly the dialog between Vlad and Loiosh.
The story, like I said, is great. Brust also comes through with more social commentary. This time is was very much on the nature of life and choices that we make that define us as individuals. Fortunately, unlike in Teckla, it's not only interesting but relatively light. While there are a significant number of conversations about philosophy, they're a relatively natural part of the dialogue, and even a part of advancing the setting in general. Many of the conversations focus on what magic is and how it's used defines the individual. I liked that it added depth to the world while at the same time making some points about life.
This was by far my least favorite stylistically. I missed the banter, and I really missed being in on Vlad's plans. We're left in the dark about a lot of what was going on with the characters I was actually invested in. Vlad gathers information, and our narrator is asked to leave so we don't get to know what's going on. This happens at least twice. The only slightly redeeming factor about the style is that we get some insight into Loiosh's mate's mind. It wasn't especially compelling; it wasn't super fun to read; this wasn't my preferred way to do it, but in the end it was interesting enough to be worthwhile.
The book as a whole wouldn't have been anything I'd have recommended if it hadn't been part of a series. It also wouldn't have been something I'd have put down halfway, or scathed at utter trash either. All in all it was perfectly average. ...more
I finished this book a few days ago, and I'm still deciding how I feel about it. I think that the reason I'm still deciding, is that I'm still sortingI finished this book a few days ago, and I'm still deciding how I feel about it. I think that the reason I'm still deciding, is that I'm still sorting through the philosophical message.
There are number of things about this book that I think are great. There are multiple stories going on, and they're all interesting. The primary story is about a boy and his father searching for the mother who is off finding herself. Wrapped in with this however is the story of 53 cards on a magic island, the story of a soldier who settles after WWII, the story of an aging sailor turned baker, and the story of how they all relate. Peppered through all of this is Shakespeare, Socrates, and philosophy in general, all written in a very accessible way.
The philosophy is what makes the book special. The main character, Hans Thomas, and his father engage in numerous mini lectures and discussions where they touch on fate, god, and life. One of the things I appreciate about the story is that although it takes a strong stance on certain issues, like fate, it never concludes that fate exists. On top of that, for the fate doubters, the book offers plenty of ammo against the narrator who is about 10. I think in the end, there's no firm conclusions, but there are some rather obvious leanings.
In the end, the only complaint I have is that the philosophical leanings the book has are not only not in line with my personal views, but also occasionally come off so resolutely (as is expected from a 10 year old) that they seem like conclusions despite the fact the plenty of counter evidence is offered. I'm not confident that the book is YA, but it's written like it is with a young protagonist and an easily accessible plot. If the ideas were left a little more vague, or the writing a plot were a little more advanced, I don't think my complaint would be a complaint, but it would be easy to see the characters' opinions as virtual fact sometimes. Still a good book, just one that should be read when you're willing to think, not when you're looking for someone to do the thinking for you. ...more
So the plot of this book is pretty easy. Pi and his family are moving from India to Canada. They're traveling by ship. Ship sinks, and pi manages to gSo the plot of this book is pretty easy. Pi and his family are moving from India to Canada. They're traveling by ship. Ship sinks, and pi manages to get to a lifeboat. Also on the lifeboat are a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra, a rat, and a tiger. Oh yeah, Pi is also a Hindu. Well he's actually a Christian, but he's also Muslim. Did I mention that there are goats that live with the Rhinos?
Life of Pi as a story is entertaining in parts. It starts off slow, but then the castaway section begins and it's really entertaining. However, throughout all of this, the author is bombarding the reader with symbolism. It's all over. Want some Jesus? Got it. Hindu allegories? Done. Something else? I'm sure you can find it, even if the author didn't intend it, by sheer volume I'd wager the symbols are there.
The writing was truly good, as it to be expected from a Booker winner. This book fell short for me though, but honestly it was probably more of a 3.5 than a 4. I liked the story, I liked the flood of symbols, I think I just didn't like Pi. I didn't not like Pi either, but he was just a narrator. Old Pi who is telling the story is not young Pi on the ship. Old Pi no longer has Richard Parker by his side, and it seems to come though. Maybe that's the point, but it caused some disinterest for me.
I put the book down a number of times early on. Mainly because as open as Pi was toward the major religions, his thoughts on agnosticism and atheism left me with my feathers a bit ruffled. I almost didn't finish the book because of this. Not because it was offensive, poorly written, or anything bad about the book, it's just that Pi and I had so little in common in the early goings.
I'm not sure what the author's point was with this book, and I think I like that. There's a lot to think about, and many different messages to take. I'll say this much, this book did not shift my thoughts on the supernatural one iota. While it certainly made a point about religion (one I'm sure I disagree with), it made it was and in an entertaining way. The hodgepodge of religions and symbols should make it easy to find many different messages, one of which is sure to fit your faith of choice.
This rambling mess that should have been better thought/sorted is now over. That's for tuning in. ...more
This may be my favorite book in the series so far. The time line was what I think of as the "current" one where the characters interact in the ways I This may be my favorite book in the series so far. The time line was what I think of as the "current" one where the characters interact in the ways I expect them to. There was action, new and interesting characters, and more of Brust being a communist. While I don't agree with his thoughts, he did a much better job of giving me something to think about beyond the immediate story without being as heavy handed as he has been. ...more
If you're looking for a reason to dislike this book, you won't have to look far. The writing is simple, psychological disorders are misunderstood, dowIf you're looking for a reason to dislike this book, you won't have to look far. The writing is simple, psychological disorders are misunderstood, downplayed and almost trivialized, the plot was predictable, and the author includes himself as a character in the novel (in order to legitimize? or gain sympathy for the book?).
Despite this, I very much enjoyed the book. I found the writing simple in a conversational sort of way and the major themes to be expressed clearly. I had fun being told that it would make me happier to be a bit crazier and that going counter-clockwise isn't always wrong. Take risks, be yourself and not what others expect you to be, and fell the emotion; let it spill out over you and into those around.
I suppose it helps that I find the main character very sympathetic. Right away she reveals that her desire to kill herself isn't based on depression (at least in her mind), bad things in life, or unsolvable problems. She wants to die because at 23 she is beautiful, full of potential, admired by boys, and doesn't want to settle for what she sees everyone else settling for. Instead of taking charge, she cops out. She's overflowing with apathy, both for her world and for herself.
I think it would be fair to characterize this as an inspirational novel minus the overt religion. While religion is touched on, and neither accepted or dismissed out of hand, it isn't a central theme of the book. It tries, and succeeds, at being neutral. It inspires without religion.
The book is a quick read. I almost want to call it a story and not a book or a novel. While it's not a perfect piece of writing, Paulo Coelho does a good job of what I think he set out to do: making a reader think about social norms and making them consider going out on a limb to be happier. ...more
Cock-a-doodle-dull? I picked this up at a local used book store because frankly, I liked the cover. The fact that it was about a fully sentient group Cock-a-doodle-dull? I picked this up at a local used book store because frankly, I liked the cover. The fact that it was about a fully sentient group of animals fighting evil also seemed fun.
Of the things this book was, fun was not one of them. The thing this book was most of all was dull. I read often, and I usually read quickly, but this slim 250ish page book took me almost a week. Most of the time I didn't care, but quite often the religious hammer that is so prevalent just upset me.
This book isn't just religious lit, it's written with an eye toward fundamentalism that makes me think the author probably believes that Satan hid dinosaur bones in the ground just to confuse us. At one point we're told that the book is set in a time when the Earth was still at the center of the universe, before evil knocked it astray into the wacky configuration we know today.
Although slow paced and rather heavy handed, the book was not without it merits. At times it was heart wrenching, and for brief moments even exciting. As dull as I found the main characters, some of the side characters were cute.
The book wasn't horrible. It was slow, heavy handed, and only adequately written. If you love religious fiction or barnyard animals then you'll probably like the book. ...more
So far this is my favorite book in the series if for no other reason that it has left me thinking.
Teckla is certainly heavy handed in presenting (polSo far this is my favorite book in the series if for no other reason that it has left me thinking.
Teckla is certainly heavy handed in presenting (political/social/economic?) philosophies, but I enjoyed the way Brust went about it. There are long passages of Vlad or Kelly giving speeches and spouting rhetoric. It's slow moving at times, but I liked it.
I liked that Vlad was against the rhetoric for most of the story, and even at the end was indecisive. While I felt the author's politics were clear, I was glad that the main character didn't take a firm stance. The discourse between Vlad and Kelly also provided a point and counterpoint conversation. Kelly came out on top of course, but there's a lot of think about at the end.
What I liked most about the book however was not the philosophical aspects, but rather that this is the book where the characters really came alive for me. Vlad and Cawti fought. Not some stupid little misunderstanding, not a spat, but an all out fight that ran, and runs, the risk of ending the relationship. I really felt the love between them, and I was sad to see it in peril.
Both characters had their world views threatened and had, have, to deal with it. They made choices that revealed more about how they think, their priorities in life, and what lines they will or will not cross. Instead of being simply characters that are fun to read about, they became people. This book more than either of the first two makes me want to pick up the next one and read more. ...more
This book was a little bit of everything. Each section was a little novella. The most interesting part was how drastically the writing changed with eaThis book was a little bit of everything. Each section was a little novella. The most interesting part was how drastically the writing changed with each section and how the seemingly unrelated parts came together into a great story with a great point.
The point of the story comes together slowly. It wasn't until the last 50 pages or so that the theme really became clear. The book takes some patience and faith, but the writing is superb, and worth a little effort. ...more
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