I am about 150 pages in right now and trying to decide if I want to soldier on with it or not.
I don't want to stop reading because it is poorly written, on the contrary, Zafon's style is incredibly descriptive, in an almost poetic way yet not at all indulgent or tedious.
The reason I am wondering about how others may have found it is that it is really starting to develop a dark, creepy, suspense to it and I am just not sure if that is what I want in a novel right now.
It reminds me of when I saw the movie "Crash" for the first time. I had to stop it about half way in and ask my friend who'd seen it "tell me, does this turn out ok? Because if not I need to stop watching this right now" I found it so disturbing (no, not the Cronenberg "Crash", the Don Cheadle one).
Anyway, I am thinking about putting it down and reading "And the Band Played On" by Shilts, partly because our case this week has malaria and AIDS but also because I've been wanting to read it ever since Dr. Gallow spoke at our school last year*.
Thoughts? Stay with it? Or does it turn into some crazy-assed psychological thriller that is going to give me nightmares for a month?
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*If you haven't read that post, I recommend it, it'll shed some light on why the Dalai Lama's visit here had people planted in the audience with pre-approved questions.
4 comments:
Ah, the Cronenberg one is awesome (much better than that trite 'you see, we're not so different in the end' crap from the other Crash).
Oh I do love Cronenberg..."Eastern Promises" is in my top 10 favorite movies of all time (and not just because Viggo gets nekkid in it).
Good book! I know what you mean, though, it is a bit creepy. I don't generally like scaring myself, especially before bed, but this book didn't give me nightmares and I couldn't put it down. It does have a happy ending, and all the issues get resolved, if that's what you're looking for. It was definitely different from any other book I've read, and I would thoroughly recommend it!
SWEET!!
Ok great, thanks for that. I think he writes so beautifully and poetically which makes for an interesting contrast with the dark and uncomfortable subject matter.
It reminds me a bit of the movies "Mary and Max" or "Withnail and I" in that there was a major incongruity between the movie theme and the movie subject matter. In Mary and Max the cartoon-y presentation of a very heartbreaking and depressing subject...or Withnail which had a dark and dreary presentation for brilliant comedy. Love it.
So thanks for your comment,now I can go back to reading it at night without worrying that it will be one more thing that keeps me awake!! :)
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