Disturbing and very upsetting, but ultimately compelling. It gets four stars for that, not because I enjoyed it in any way. The reading experience remDisturbing and very upsetting, but ultimately compelling. It gets four stars for that, not because I enjoyed it in any way. The reading experience reminded me of Tobacco Road. Can people really be that cruel and savage towards one another? Of course they can, I just don't like to be reminded of it especially by a writer with such obvious talents. ...more
Interesting and weird but I did not love it. Great historical detail -- the real writing achievement here is Suskind's meticulous recreation of 18th cInteresting and weird but I did not love it. Great historical detail -- the real writing achievement here is Suskind's meticulous recreation of 18th century France, and not just the social and political conditions, but how it smelled. From a historian's point of view, this is an aspect of the past that too often gets ignored, and the fact that Suskind mines it so completely to provide this rich novel fairly dripping with some marvelous passages, is impressive. ...more
Sigh. I hate when this happens. I should have loved the shit out of this book. It's Bradbury, it's vintage horror, it's Stephen King recommended, it's Sigh. I hate when this happens. I should have loved the shit out of this book. It's Bradbury, it's vintage horror, it's Stephen King recommended, it's a coming-of-age tale about young boys and a creepy carnival, and it's been on my reading list for years. This book and I should have hit it off like gangbusters. The chemistry should have been overwhelming and indisputable. But we got off to an awkward start. I kept putting it down and picking up other things. Finally, with the day off work, I took it in hand this afternoon with a desire to just dive in and -- for better or worse -- finish the damn thing. Alas, it was for the worse.
No doubt, some of the writing is charmed and gorgeous. Bradbury's descriptions of the library in particular are wonderful. But the rest for me... imagine cracking open a freezing cold can of pop and expecting that sharp, satisfying bite of carbonation at the back of your throat and instead what you swallow is flat, warm, syrupy water.
To me, no one writes children (especially boys) like King. He can catch, like lightning in a bottle every time, the way kids talk, think and act. I didn't experience that here. Jim and Will feel too archetypical of all boys rather than boys genuine to their unique story. Will is childish on one hand, and too mature on the other. And I don't know ... quite frankly I was bored. The mirror maze was sort of interesting, as was the carousel, but nothing ever felt really creepy and perilous.
Ah shizzle. I can only conclude the book didn't fail me; I failed it.
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