I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
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I loved this book! It was completely, insanely over-the-top... a caricature of itself.
There is a somewhat moving frame story, in which a man wins the right to write the novelization of a 1960s B-movie. The remainder of the book is the novel, which features an animated human hand, the only surviving remnant of a mission to Mars.
This is the best book I read last year, and possibly in the last decade. China Mieville has created an incredible setting for what might otherwise be a very good mystery novel. The cities of the title are in two different countries, but they share the same geographical space. People in one city are not permitted to acknowledge or interact with people in the other city, even if they are standing next to each other. This setup creates mind-blowing jurisdictional issues for the protagonist, who is investigating a murder. Did the murder occur in his city? Or in the other city?
The characters are real and plot is interesting, but the book would be worth reading even if it were simply a dry explanation of how the cities function.
Highly recommended, even for those who aren't interested in fantasy or mystery fiction.
Holy living f*ck this is a great book! (Can I use the F word, Powell's, if I don't spell it out? A fleeting expletive is not legally obscene-- can't be, b/c of the First Amendment. Of course, you, Powell's, are entitled to your own policies. In this case, though, consider an exception. B/c- once again- F*CK!). Finished it around 4 am last night. Jonathan L. is a genius. Which makes the MacArthur grant make sense. It's top notch literary noir with Tourrette's Syndrome. Eat Me! While I'm at it, let me also recommend the audioversion of Lethem's Chronic City. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his work. (Have to say, though, I didn't love Gun, With Occasional Music, which might be a kind of precursor to Motherless Brooklyn). Plot and characters are both fully developed and satisfying. Go buy it, now! Maybe get it for your friend who likes trashy crime fiction-- the one you wish would read something a little more literary. Telling you- this might be the book. Seriously. Your lowbrow friend will thank you.
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Loved this book. It's long and filled with digressions, but they're all fascinating. The characters are engaging and interesting, especially Wilkie Collins (who narrates the book). Makes me want to read The Woman in White (and maybe even some of his other works).
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Manek has commented on (4) products.
The Four Fingers of Death by Rick Moody
Manek, January 8, 2012
I loved this book! It was completely, insanely over-the-top... a caricature of itself.There is a somewhat moving frame story, in which a man wins the right to write the novelization of a 1960s B-movie. The remainder of the book is the novel, which features an animated human hand, the only surviving remnant of a mission to Mars.
Comparable to Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse Five.
Highly recommended!
The City and the City by China Mieville
Manek, January 10, 2011
This is the best book I read last year, and possibly in the last decade. China Mieville has created an incredible setting for what might otherwise be a very good mystery novel. The cities of the title are in two different countries, but they share the same geographical space. People in one city are not permitted to acknowledge or interact with people in the other city, even if they are standing next to each other. This setup creates mind-blowing jurisdictional issues for the protagonist, who is investigating a murder. Did the murder occur in his city? Or in the other city?The characters are real and plot is interesting, but the book would be worth reading even if it were simply a dry explanation of how the cities function.
Highly recommended, even for those who aren't interested in fantasy or mystery fiction.
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
Manek, November 27, 2010
Holy living f*ck this is a great book! (Can I use the F word, Powell's, if I don't spell it out? A fleeting expletive is not legally obscene-- can't be, b/c of the First Amendment. Of course, you, Powell's, are entitled to your own policies. In this case, though, consider an exception. B/c- once again- F*CK!). Finished it around 4 am last night. Jonathan L. is a genius. Which makes the MacArthur grant make sense. It's top notch literary noir with Tourrette's Syndrome. Eat Me! While I'm at it, let me also recommend the audioversion of Lethem's Chronic City. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his work. (Have to say, though, I didn't love Gun, With Occasional Music, which might be a kind of precursor to Motherless Brooklyn). Plot and characters are both fully developed and satisfying. Go buy it, now! Maybe get it for your friend who likes trashy crime fiction-- the one you wish would read something a little more literary. Telling you- this might be the book. Seriously. Your lowbrow friend will thank you.(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Drood by Dan Simmons
Manek, August 30, 2010
Loved this book. It's long and filled with digressions, but they're all fascinating. The characters are engaging and interesting, especially Wilkie Collins (who narrates the book). Makes me want to read The Woman in White (and maybe even some of his other works).(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)