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Kasei

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Titus Groan

Rating: 4/5

Spoilers: No

 

This book was such a step out of the norm for me, it was very refreshing. I usually don't read a lot of "literature" in the classical sense. Generally for lack of time rather than desire (it is still a goal of mine to spend a summer devouring classics left and right). Part of the reason I may have enjoyed it so much is that there is just something about the way books published before the 70s were written that in itself helps you to feel transported to another place.

 

Were I to rate this book on plot alone it would've gotten a 2 at best: there just simply isn't a lot that actually happens in this book. However, you can see from the given score that there is something more at work within the pages of Titus Groan. This book has so much to offer in the way of writing style. The characterization alone practically carries the book and plot becomes superfluous--I have never read about such ridiculously hateable-yet-lovable characters.

 

The way Mervyn Peake has written this novel requires one to read very, very slowly. For the most part you can't simply breeze through the pages and get the overall gist--you have to almost absorb the sentences for they read like poetry. And he has the archetypal subtle British humor thing going; I found myself chuckling constantly at the little jokes he would throw into a character description or scenario--the sheer irony and often idiocy of a lot of the goings-on kept me hungering for more words; which I kept thinking of as odd because usually I can't put a book down for want of finding out what happens next, but here I couldn't put it down due to my desire to observe how Mr. Peake would twist words around.

 

The only thing that keeps this book from a 5 is that while the world and writing themselves have so much character, it is still the slow pace of the book that can, at times, be very wearying. For instance, I could only read a few pages a night at first while getting used to the way it was written and didn't really get into it until 100 pages in--meaning I feel like I've been chewing through this book for months. There were also a few secondary characters whose lengthy paragraphs describing mundane tasks I could've done without--Sometimes I found myself thinking "Alright already, I get it; most of the people of Gormenghast live a life of monotony and tradition for tradition's sake. Point taken. Can we move on?"

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Gormenghast

Rating: 5/5

Spoilers: Not really

 

I gotta say, for every page that drug on during the reading of Titus Groan there was a page that I inhaled in Gormenghast. SUCH a fast read, especially compared to its predecessor. At times I almost felt it was as if another person entirely had been writing the novel. The style was still there but there was so much happening in this book that I looked forward with equal enthusiasm to both what would happen AND what Peake would say next. Great novel and I give it five out of five for what it was trying to accomplish and how far it succeeded.

 

All of the characters I loved to despise were present and I became quite frightened at the pace at which many of them were killed off--and how suddenly! That was one thing I never got over; not only how many characters died, but how unprepared I was for their deaths--often at times when it seemed something pivotal was about to happen for them. And then two lines later they were dead. It definitely kept me on edge (in the good way) throughout the read.

 

If you are thinking about reading this trilogy I recommend it, despite not having yet opened up the third one: If anything, its worth getting through Titus Groan just to make it to book 2. I have read that Mr. Peake unfortunately succumed to dementia during the writing of the third novel, Titus Alone, and that it was never actually completed--in fact most of it just looks like an un-fleshed-out outline--so I am interested to see how it reads out.

Edited by Kasei
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I have often been tempted by the Gormenghast trilogy, looks like it is another to add to my wish list!

 

Not a bad little read, definitely different: glad I could help point you in its direction. :)

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Titus Alone

Rating: 3/5

Spoilers: Nope

 

I went into this novel knowing that it was reputedly the worst of the bunch due to the author's ailing health, and for the most part everyone is right. The story is a bit disjointed and reminded me a lot of the sort of random-occurrences shtick of The Phantom Tollbooth. Things seem to happen for little reason but the entire time you get the feeling that everything is very symbolic. If not accessibly symbolic to the rest of us then at the very least, personally symbolic for Mr. Peake.

 

I tried to read the book quickly so that I could get that lasting-impression quality that one gets a few weeks after finishing a book. You know what I mean? That feeling when you don't really remember the exact details of what happened but you can recall the overall gist or point of the story? That's what I was aiming for. I attempted this mostly because I knew that it was an incomplete novel and wanted to see if I could grasp what Mervyn Peake might've been going for had he been of mind to bring it to life the way he envisioned. I didn't really read it piece-by-piece so much as letting my eyes fly over the paragraphs and dialogue searching for the big picture--and mostly I think I got there.

 

The book seems to be the first of many adventures that follow Titus in his life outside of Gormenghast. There are a lot of new characters introduced, many of which I feel Mr. Peake would've done more with in subsequent books had he been able to continue. Nevertheless, there was definitely an insane sort of feel to the book which I find particularly potent considering the author's state during its formulation...indeed madness is the book's big question and the source of Titus' woes in this read.

 

Still, things being so disjointed and unfleshed out (many chapters were, literally, half a page in length leaving one with the distinct impression that the author intended to go back and flesh out the idea of the section) makes it hard for me to give it above a 3. It is a novelty for any Gormenghast fan just to say they've read it, but I doubt I'll be perusing its pages again.

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I'm thinking of adding Gormenghast to my wishlist after reading your review. I watched a Gormenghast miniseries several years ago with Jonathon Rhys Meyers and I loved it!

 

You know, I actually JUST watched it on Youtube and it was rather enjoyable (although JRM's portrayal of Steerpike was a great deal more sympathetic than the book portrayal) albeit a bit more romantic than the books were. Fun stuff though, I loved seeing all of my favorite characters and scenes acted out. :)

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Still Life With Rice

Rating: 4/5

Spoilers: No

 

Speaking as someone who knows very little about world politics and goings-on (a characteristic I always feel guilty about because I am a teacher and feel I should be both knowledgeable and up-to-date on such things) this was a very interesting read. It covers the story of the writer's Korean grandmother who grew up under the Japanese colonial period and lived through the war that divided her country. Reading about historic events as told through the eyes of someone who lived them is always more digestible and memorable for me than reading straight facts. I'm sure a few of you are the same.

 

The story is very interesting and I love the perspective and insight into Hongyong Baek's mind. My only gripe is that sometimes you can never be for certain how much is authentic fact and how much the author is making up--at least insofar as her grandmother's thoughts and actions are concerned. The actual historic timeframes seem to match up, but the authoress gets so descriptive at times about what is going through her grandmother's mind that I tend to think of her more as a character in a story and less of an actual person. Still, this does not detract considerably from the telling of the story. While Helie Lee is no poet with words, what her grandmother is going through in the story is more than gripping enough to keep you reading, especially once she transcends childhood.

 

If you've ever wanted to know more about how Korea got into its current predicament and don't mind a bit of historic non/fiction, then this is a book for you. I hear the authoress recently penned a sequel that describes events that occurred after the publishing of Still Life With Rice that involves a harrowing rescue of family members from North Korea a few years ago, so if you like this book checking out the second might be a good idea since Still Life With Rice leaves you with a bit of a cliffhanger.

Edited by Kasei
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The Wal-Mart Effect

Rating: 5/5

Spoilers: I don't think it would be possible for me to spoil this completely factual book

 

"Wal-Mart isn't subject to the market forces because its creating them."

 

A really interesting read that actually sheds a lot of light onto what Wal-Mart is and does: everything from its humble beginnings to its surprising impact on the global economy (yes I did say global). The best part about this book though is that it really breaks down all of the complicated economic jargon into understandable pieces that are accessible to ignorant schmucks like me.

 

And you know, it actually presents Wal-Mart's case from both sides. I still don't shop there, but now I know why they are the way they are and that they definitely only care about always bringing their customers the lowest price. Always.

 

Very interesting read. It was nice to see that someone has taken the time to compile and interpret what little is actually publicly known about Wal-Mart (they are an amazingly secretive company: even their suppliers won't talk) and then gone and done their own interviews and research to seek out information. And the ways Wal-Mart effects people, companies, and even countries that don't do business with them is shocking. I definitely recommend this book to anyone living in a country where Wal-Marts exist.

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