yacoob
It's probably 4/5 if you like magic realism. I've reached for this book after watching the movie adaptation, expecting science fiction; it really isn't SF. That doesn't mean it's a bad book, though.The story is very emotive; there is little in terms of hard facts and world building and way more in impressions and feelings department. Had I had to compare it to something, I'd say it's contemporary H.P. Lovecraft, with the unspeakable horrors dial turned all the way down to 1. Or maybe: more scary Kelly Link. There are places to go and people to see in this book, but they're dispensable and not really plot points. The narrative is compelling and pleasantly twisted, but in the end, there's little in terms of actual story development. The ride is nice, the landscapes are beautiful, but at some point you notice that the train tracks seem to be forming a loop.Anyway, I think the movie built cleverly on the few pieces that they've extracted from the book, and achieves more coherent image of the setup. The book... it's worth reading, but if you're looking for a larger setup of the story from the movie, you'll not find it.
It's probably 4/5 if you like magic realism. I've reached for this book after watching the movie adaptation, expecting science fiction; it really isn't SF. That doesn't mean it's a bad book, though.The story is very emotive; there is little in terms of hard facts and world building and way more in impressions and feelings department. Had I had to compare it to something, I'd say it's contemporary H.P. Lovecraft, with the unspeakable horrors dial turned all the way down to 1. Or maybe: more scary Kelly Link. There are places to go and people to see in this book, but they're dispensable and not really plot points. The narrative is compelling and pleasantly twisted, but in the end, there's little in terms of actual story development. The ride is nice, the landscapes are beautiful, but at some point you notice that the train tracks seem to be forming a loop.Anyway, I think the movie built cleverly on the few pieces that they've extracted from the book, and achieves more coherent image of the setup. The book... it's worth reading, but if you're looking for a larger setup of the story from the movie, you'll not find it.