Wow, I finished it. I'm not sure what I think about it yet, but it was quite an exhausting read for me, even though I quite enjoyed it and found thereWow, I finished it. I'm not sure what I think about it yet, but it was quite an exhausting read for me, even though I quite enjoyed it and found there were some profound ideas in it. For now I give it four stars - just not yet five, as I quite really and enjoyed it a lot, but I just am not sure yet whether I'd reread it that fast. It's just- I don't really know what to say about it, but it's surely very interesting and I think everybody should read it and finish it because the ending especially is majestic. EDIT: this is going to get five stars after all. After finishing the book, then watching the movie only to be really tired while googling the actor and finally lying in bed only to pick the book up again must mean something. I love love love it. I just was a bit lost by the book I think, but now it's all got a place and I love it even more. So despite my "I'm not sure yet whether I'd reread it that fast" I picked it up again the same evening. Yes. Five. Five. Five....more
I really don't want to talk about this or think about this right now if I'm completely honest. I physically threw this book a few metres across the roI really don't want to talk about this or think about this right now if I'm completely honest. I physically threw this book a few metres across the room as soon as I had finished it because I hate it so much; this was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever read. However, it is one of the greatest stories ever....more
"Sometimes I looked to the right or to the left but I never looked behind me for I did not want to see that ghost of a woman whom they say haunts this"Sometimes I looked to the right or to the left but I never looked behind me for I did not want to see that ghost of a woman whom they say haunts this place."...more
Who's that trip-tapping upon my bridge? I recently watched an interview with Stephen King in which he said this inspired him to a story, which became IWho's that trip-tapping upon my bridge? I recently watched an interview with Stephen King in which he said this inspired him to a story, which became It. First I must admit: I had nearly made myself promise not to rate this five stars, because of certain problematic sex scenes throughout the book and the constant objectifying of Beverly - both as a child and as an adult. However, I could not bring myself to it. It wasn't even that scary - although I read only during the day, but the caring this book made me feel for the characters is something I have not encountered since books I read when I was very young. It reminded me of how much I cared for the characters in Harry Potter when I kept rereading those books for years. Part of this is probably because of the amount of time I spent reading about the Losers, after all this is nearly 1400 pages, but certainly it has to do with Stephen King's writing as well. I deeply loved this book, even though it wasn't anywhere near perfect.
The first couple of chapters were exactly what I expected from this book; deeply terrifying and intriguing. Even though this did not continue, it set a great tone for the book and immediately drew every possible reader in. There were a lot of chapters that at the time did not seem too enthralling, but now, looked back upon, gave me time to care for the characters as much as I do. I don't think I would have wanted the book to be any shorter. It certainly could have been, but it just would have been another thriller/horror if the time wasn't given to become acquainted with the Losers in the way that is possible now.
Part 2, chapter 4-9 were amazing. I was still just getting into the story and I have such lovely memories of reading this. Every time I thought "oh but after I finish this I really can't give it five stars" I involuntarily thought back to this part and got overwhelmed by a very pleasant sensation of nostalgia. Even now I actually just want to dive back into that part.
After that it went a bit downwards for me, even though the reunion fulfilled all my hopes and expectations. However, the variation in time lines really got you attached to the characters in such a deeper way than I normally would; it was extraordinary.
The whole resolution/climax/ending wasn't that much my thing, I found it a bit too long and a bit stretched out, and I thought maybe that was why in general the ending was considered as being disappointing. However, the actual ending just made the book 25 times better for me. It was so incredible, so tragic, so beautiful; it was very emotional, and this also was where Stephen King's writing came forward as being very, very exceptional. I loved it and nearly cried multiple times.
However, I did not like how every time Beverly was considered, her breasts/hips played some part in it. Be it a thought of her own, or of one of her friends; even as a child it just was "Ben walked, Eddie walked, Bev walked, letting her hair flow in the wind. Her old jeans were tight around her hips." That bothered me, and all the sex scenes in the book bothered me for obvious reasons, which I won't go into because of spoilers. Even though this spoiled it for me at some times at which I thought negatively of the book, as soon as it was over it was nearly forgotten and I just could not feel anything negative about the book.
I loved it and would absolutely recommend it. To anyone. Except for maybe people with extreme cases of cauldrophobia, but even if you think "well I am not really fond of clowns", maybe you should still pick it up. It doesn't get any scarier than the first chapter....more
I loved the story, I hated the ending and I loved the writing style. What's more to say? It's my favourite.I loved the story, I hated the ending and I loved the writing style. What's more to say? It's my favourite....more
A few days later I'm still heart-broken; I think I can deem this a favourite. Just a few things that made the book so good: - the pieces of knowledge tA few days later I'm still heart-broken; I think I can deem this a favourite. Just a few things that made the book so good: - the pieces of knowledge that were so interesting and wanted you to learn more and more, an experience I haven't really experienced since all the facts about Hogwarts etc in the HP series, only now I was learning actual things. - the interesting reflections on life, death and so much more - the interaction between the characters, and the change in this which was so gradual and so natural - Henry...more
This was an interesting exploration of society where there is nothing to believe in any more, no higher entity or deity, and the lengths people go intThis was an interesting exploration of society where there is nothing to believe in any more, no higher entity or deity, and the lengths people go into self-deception in order to feel there is something higher. This is posed against the themes of looming mortality and fear thereof, and a society that becomes more and more technological and consumerist without people actually being able to grasp what the consequences of this technology entail.
While the writing was beautiful on many occasions, both in composing thoughts and exploring scenery and surroundings, I did find this to be a bit too long for its own good, as it started to drag from the moment the Toxic Event had passed. However, I did truly love all the scenes involving this event, as they were just so vivid and had a looming but beautiful fear over them, and though the characters didn't particularly stay with me or were to be called 'vivid', I did think they were all very interesting. Furthermore, there were many notes on life and the experience thereof which I found to be accurate in a "wow, hey, you put that down on paper and I actually feel that way!" kind of way, which was nice.
I do think this is a very good and interesting novel which is deserving of the four stars I'll give it, but do keep in mind that it drags a little, and some of the characters are a bit flat....more
This is my third time reading it and it's really grown on me. There are just some lines that leave me absolutelyshooketh.I would definitely recommenThis is my third time reading it and it's really grown on me. There are just some lines that leave me absolutelyshooketh.I would definitely recommend this, it's just the absolute coolest thing ever, though I think all Eliot's poetry really benefits from rereading because it's just so difficult to even understand on a basic level.
A few absolute highlights: - the first Latin part about Sybil which is just!!!!!!! such a dramatic start ( "Sybil, what do you want? I want to die." Okay lemme start this poem now) - "Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante, // Had a bad cold" - "My cousin's, he took me out on a sled, // And I was frightened. He said, Marie, // Marie, hold on tight. And down we went." This is probably my favourite thing EVER. - "These fragments I have shored against my ruins" - Basically the whole part with the married couple and the woman getting a nervous breakdown, but particularly: "My nerves are bad to-night. Yes, bad. Stay with me. // Speak to me. Why do you never speak? Speak. // What are you thinking of? What thinking? What? // I never know what you are thinking. Think." - HuRrY uP pLeAsE iT's TiMe - And last but just as epic as the rest: "That corpse you planted last year in your garden, // Has it begun to sprout? Will it bloom this year? // Or has the sudden frost disturbed its bed? // Oh keep the Dog far hence, that's friend to men, // Or with his nails he'll dig it up again!"...more
I'm absolutely obsessed with The Waste Land and Prufrock (and would be quoting the entire poems if I started so you'll just have to believe me that thI'm absolutely obsessed with The Waste Land and Prufrock (and would be quoting the entire poems if I started so you'll just have to believe me that they are bomb.com), and of course The Hollow Men has that INSANELY good ending:
This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper.
And Ash Wednesday's opening is a riot too:
"Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn "
BUT THEN WHY DOES NO ONE EVER TALK ABOUT CHORUSES FROM THE ROCK?
"In the beginning GOD created the world. Waste and void. Waste and void. And darkness was upon the face of the deep. "
and
"That men both deny gods and worship gods, professing first Reason, and then Money, and Power, and what they call Life, or Race, or Dialectic. The Church disowned, the tower overthrown, the bells upturned, what have we to do But stand with empty hands and palms turned upwards In an age which advances progressively backwards? "...more
This is one of my favourite books I think, although I'm still a slight bit surprised I managed to read the whole book. I'm Dutch. It takes me quite soThis is one of my favourite books I think, although I'm still a slight bit surprised I managed to read the whole book. I'm Dutch. It takes me quite some effort to read English books that are written in more difficult language, which is why I take a really long time finishing books that are more than 200 pages. Let alone a book in Scottish dialect. I felt the dialect only contributed to the book though, and it actually made me love the book more. I just love it so much. There's nothing to say. Or well, there is, as I don't think the book's about drug addicts trying to cut it off. Yes, for a bit. But I think it's more a story telling how society treats the people they can't cope with; the people that are doing things unbeneficial for the government but they can't be locked up for, such as doing drugs. That's why I find the whole choose life quote so amazing, as it shows that part of him doesn't want to quit his addiction, but he's being forced by his environment which has been manipulated by society to think that it's the best. And maybe it is, I don't know. But what I do know, is that I love the whole ambience around the book, it's the coolest atmosphere I could've hoped for. And that wouldn't have been without the dialect. I'm gonna read all this man's books. Mark my words....more
Second reading: at some point, the plot does become really, really convoluted. However, the beginning is as good, if not better, than I remember (I coSecond reading: at some point, the plot does become really, really convoluted. However, the beginning is as good, if not better, than I remember (I could not stop laughing), I still adore the descriptions of reading (some of which are just so relatable), and I completely forgot about the ending, which really blew me away. All in all, this is just such a clever book.
Original review: These are wonderful reflections on reading, within a book within a book within a book....more
Reread This really benefited from a reread - I found it much easier to follow, knowing how everything ties together, and was more able to appreciate NaReread This really benefited from a reread - I found it much easier to follow, knowing how everything ties together, and was more able to appreciate Nabokov's ingenuities because of it. I was thinking of upping this to a five-star even, but think that for the time being I won't. However, it's definitely an amazing book - objectively, it might be one of the best ones out there.
Original Review This was so interesting and cool - the ultimate exploration of the death of the author. However, occasionally it got a bit low in enjoyment. This definitely is an excellent book, playing with dynamics of author, text and reader, but also, I found it quite hard to get through and boring at times, not really being able to visualize or experience the characters too vividly. Nevertheless, it might be one of the coolest concepts ever, being experimental, philosophically interesting with regard to the relations between author and text, and a fun, twisty thriller all at the same time which leaves you knowing so little. However, I would recommend not reading the index until the very end, as it summarizes the entire thing, though not in a conclusive way....more
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