Devin

My heart is heavy. In a good way, but still...
This is actually my third time reading this book. I've never read the 1831 version that used to be so popular (should really do that sometime), because this was the edition my professor specified in the first class for which I ever had to read this book. I read it again for a different class a couple of years later, and finally I picked it up yesterday to read it again, this time simply for myself.

It is such an ugly story, told with such a beautiful voice. This is a tragedy and a horror related to us by a voice that has not inured itself to tragedy and horror. Any scene of happiness that comes along in the narrative is given to us with such joy and wonder and sincerity that it is obvious that this is the state that the narrator would always stay in, given the opportunity. It is like reading the thoughts of an elf, so at home in beauty and yet never bored of it, always struck with delight at the sights, sounds, feelings that surround it.

That is what makes this different from any other horror/science fiction novel I have ever read. It feels so violating, so impure, because the voice describing these monstrosities feels more suited for poetry, the kind of poetry that makes someone happy to be alive and moving about in the world. To go with this voice as it is driven deeper and deeper into despair... It made my heart sink, and I finished the book only to stare at the ceiling, trying to collect myself. Yes, you can get the story from watching an adaptation, whether it be for stage or screen, but this, this experience, you can only get by reading the book. Make sure you're emotionally ready, but once you are: I cannot recommend this book enough. Genuinely one of my favorites.

There's not much that I feel qualified to say, and that doesn't usually stop me from saying a lot anyway but in this case it does. All that I can think of is that at certain parts of the book the question came to my mind: “Is this actually real or are these bits embellishments?” By the time I got to the end I realized it didn't matter. This is not a textbook. It is a memoir about trying to tell the world about humans subjected to dehumanization. It succeeds.

One of my favorite kinds of writers, the kind that can make anything both beautiful and ugly at the same time, and has no qualms about doing so. I did not see a lot of the humor that other reviews have mentioned when reading this (though the comical absurdity of many of the situations was apparent), but this detracted from nothing. A writer that is not afraid to string you along, knowing that the pivotal moment will be well worth the worldbuilding, character development, the beautiful time spend in the world... that is an incredible thing, and available in spades here. Absolutely gorgeous.

I wrote a long, heartfelt review. I didn't mean to because I'm doing this on my phone, but I got too excited. I was just about to write a tl/dr, when the app crashed. I'm too sleepy to try and repeat all of it from memory, so here's the tl/dr:

This book has changed my life. As a book, it's well-written, interesting, crazy, and surprisingly funny. But my main thing is that I have never felt more seen by an author in my whole life except for Rilke. I have never felt more understood. I feel myself getting carried away again so I'll stop.

Book is really good. If you don't like, that's perfectly fine, but I am a different person after reading it and it's really good.

Beautiful, wonderful, no criticisms, aaaaaaaaaa.
I know people like to tease this book by saying that it's like reading the Bible or something like that, but in my opinion that's one of its strengths. This tale is gorgeous and sweeping and it elevates your state of mind so high into the clouds that you feel like a divine being, watching these events transpire and the years roll on. Absolutely brilliant.