Phil
I found this disappointing in the end. For years people in the occult community have mentioned it, and I'd been saving it for a time when I felt like some ocult fiction, for more than 30 years. Possibly more than 40.
It started well, and it showed some hope, but then it turned out to be only marginally occult-adjacent, and it felt like the author just ran out of steam and ideas, and wrapped it up in a 'mysterious' way, because he couldn't think where to take it.
I found this disappointing in the end. For years people in the occult community have mentioned it, and I'd been saving it for a time when I felt like some ocult fiction, for more than 30 years. Possibly more than 40.
It started well, and it showed some hope, but then it turned out to be only marginally occult-adjacent, and it felt like the author just ran out of steam and ideas, and wrapped it up in a 'mysterious' way, because he couldn't think where to take it.
Added to listWearingeul Inkswith 18 books.
I'm afraid I was disappointed and irritated by this book.
Disappointed because it started with promise. It was recommended to me on the basis of having re3ally enjoyed The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and the early-revealed future death of a key character, and academic setting, both seemed to hint at possibilities. The writing also, at first seemed promising. Sadly, it didn't quite turn out this way for me.
Unfortunately, what seemed amusing at first - the references to other works from all ages and genres - become incredibly irritating, and eventually seemed to be come the point of the novel - especially as it seemed to have little other point to it at all.
I'm afraid that where Tartt gets us (or at least got me) invested and interested in her characters as they grew (and shrank in various moral ways) throughout the book from very early on, the characters from Pessl remain vacuous and thin. By the time I reluctantly decided that this would become a DNF at bout 45% completion, I still didn't have the slightest bit of feeling for any single one of the characters.
Sad to say, the same can be said about the plot. For my personal enjoyment, a book must necessarily be strong in at least one of two areas: character development or plot. I'm afraid that where Pessl's characters are thin and underdeveloped, plot is simply non existent. Surely something other than 'geek has a hard time at school' should happen by mid way into a book that hasn't made much effort in character development?
Having said all of this, I actually suspect there is an audience who will absolutely love this book. The main character is obviously some kind of genius, and the genius she expresses no doubt is actually that of the author. Her (take that as either the character or the author) acquaintance with a staggering amount of reading, and ability to retain and recall the contents of that reading, is simply astounding. The explicit references that sprinkle the text are just the start of it. There are many subtle references also, that are not called out, and I suspect I'm only getting a relatively small portion of those.
So, it you enjoy books provide an exercise in reference-spotting, where you take the challenge posed by the author and revel in the battle, then this book may well get four or five stars from you, because this is full of such challenge. And if you do like that sort of thing, the characters and plot may well provide enough of a backdrop to keep things moving along for you. whilst you indulge in your primary interest of puzzling.
That's not for me, but it may well be for you.
I'm afraid I was disappointed and irritated by this book.
Disappointed because it started with promise. It was recommended to me on the basis of having re3ally enjoyed The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and the early-revealed future death of a key character, and academic setting, both seemed to hint at possibilities. The writing also, at first seemed promising. Sadly, it didn't quite turn out this way for me.
Unfortunately, what seemed amusing at first - the references to other works from all ages and genres - become incredibly irritating, and eventually seemed to be come the point of the novel - especially as it seemed to have little other point to it at all.
I'm afraid that where Tartt gets us (or at least got me) invested and interested in her characters as they grew (and shrank in various moral ways) throughout the book from very early on, the characters from Pessl remain vacuous and thin. By the time I reluctantly decided that this would become a DNF at bout 45% completion, I still didn't have the slightest bit of feeling for any single one of the characters.
Sad to say, the same can be said about the plot. For my personal enjoyment, a book must necessarily be strong in at least one of two areas: character development or plot. I'm afraid that where Pessl's characters are thin and underdeveloped, plot is simply non existent. Surely something other than 'geek has a hard time at school' should happen by mid way into a book that hasn't made much effort in character development?
Having said all of this, I actually suspect there is an audience who will absolutely love this book. The main character is obviously some kind of genius, and the genius she expresses no doubt is actually that of the author. Her (take that as either the character or the author) acquaintance with a staggering amount of reading, and ability to retain and recall the contents of that reading, is simply astounding. The explicit references that sprinkle the text are just the start of it. There are many subtle references also, that are not called out, and I suspect I'm only getting a relatively small portion of those.
So, it you enjoy books provide an exercise in reference-spotting, where you take the challenge posed by the author and revel in the battle, then this book may well get four or five stars from you, because this is full of such challenge. And if you do like that sort of thing, the characters and plot may well provide enough of a backdrop to keep things moving along for you. whilst you indulge in your primary interest of puzzling.
That's not for me, but it may well be for you.
