Paul

Delightful, and definitely something I will read to my daughters one day. The ending was a little too conventional and slap-dashed together for me, but it works in a classic fairy tale kind of way. It's fun and quirky and entertaining, but I'm just not great at honing in my inner child enough to appreciate it in the same way I might have when I was twelve.

VERY different from the movie though, so don't think you know the story because you've seen the movie.

I have a feeling that the next generation of fantasy authors will strive to be the next N. K. Jemisin. This book about the planet breaking apart was Earth-shattering for me. Not only was I shocked as an avid fantasy reader at the sheer volume of original ideas and characters, but it also reflects our cultures and world history in a potent way that is completely unique from what previous authors have done.

In this book, you will find a system of “magic” with fantastically detailed rules that follow the science of this created world brilliantly; you will find races and creatures that in no way resemble the typical elves, giants, trolls etc; you will find a world with a 10000+ year history. Yet with all this, the content never seems overwhelming and the pace of the story never drags. (You will also find chapters written in second person, which can become quite an addictive style.)

The cool and original world and characters isn't what makes this book though. What truly sets it apart are the deep and intense social structures. The classic idea of heroes and monsters is turned on its head, and eventually you learn that the characters you follow are considered monstrous villains by other characters. There are some very clear analogies to our world, but it goes far beyond just the analogy to tell a powerful and exciting story. If this book were half as good as it is, I'd have given it 5-stars.

One of the most popular books from the Nobel-winning author, this first book of the Cairo trilogy brings to life a culture and history which is incredibly unique and largely unknown to Western society.
Though the style of writing is very descriptive and the focus on character and custom over plot-line can make this a difficult read, it is definitely worth the time. The book wonderfully portrays the dissonance between the time's popular party-culture and radical Islam, both of which rule the society. It gives a personal view into family lives, individual struggles, and political strife all at the same time, with diverse and complex characters, strong and weak, hypocritical and devout. The book can drag, and the first half can be particularly slow, but it is worth the patience for the intimate experience it inevitably delivers.

The unbelievable living conditions this family went through is enough to grip any reader. Anyone who thinks “I had pretty crazy parents” has nothing on Jeannette Walls.
But what really makes this story unique is the perspective Walls writes from. She recreates her memories and feels them as she experienced them at the time, rather than reflecting back on them with her current perspective. The result is that you begin by seeing her father as a genius and a hero and her mother as brilliant and creative, and as she grows, she begins to portray the good with the bad. Writing this way, the reader can understand why she seems to hold an unwavering loyalty to her parents in spite of the obvious neglect and mistreatment she suffered.
The book is packed with symbolism and complex relationships, and though it may not be a factual autobiography so much as a story based on her actual childhood, it excellently portrays her emotions toward a family which put her through horrific experiences while showing her unconditional love. It's a true must-read.

You don't read books like this every day! This satirical book about what would happen if Hitler came to life in modern Berlin will shock you, even if only because of how well-researched it was. I feared that it would just be a slapstick comedy about Hitler being surprised and appalled by modern-day diversity and capitalism, but it was actually far cleverer than that.
For example, the book was written from Hitler's perspective and it mimicked his style remarkably. At first, I found the book to be a bit rambling and prone to unnecessary tangents that frankly made little sense. However, it turns out this jabbering was actually an excellent imitation of the writing style one finds in Mein Kampf! Beyond that, the level of research the author does on the everyday habits and tendencies of Hitler and the kinds of relationships he had with his contemporaries was staggering. In reading this, you inevitably become something of a Hitler buff. The author was clearly determined to do more than write a satirical commentary on a dictator. The character was so well developed, I don't doubt the Furer himself would approve!
As far as the story goes, there isn't one really. Everyone thinks he's an actor who never breaks character, and the way he reacts to the modern world is not at all what one would expect, resulting in people thinking he's a mockery of his actual self. The concept is more uniquely played out than I would have thought, but it definitely wasn't gripping in any real manner. Also, since it's an English translation of a German book, a few details seem to get lost in translation, such as his relationship to the publication Bild. Not knowing what Bild is left me feeling like I missed a joke or two. Overall though, the puns and witticisms are well translated, and it is sure to make you laugh!