GenericoScout
Since: Jun, 2012
07/13/2014 00:00:00
For such a laconic work this literary object does infact convey more than meets the eye. Unfortunately, What is often missed would be the narrative in which the work is conveyed to us the audience would you not agree?
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Doesn't Live Up To Hype, But Still Worth the Read
When I first picked up The Ugly Barnacle, I was expecting something big. Something massive. There is so much praise for this book, I expected it to go above and beyond all expectations. What I got instead... doesn't.
Now, don't get me wrong. The Ugly Barnacle is not awful, and can still make for a nice read on a Sunday afternoon. It just doesn't quite live up to the expectations one gets from hearing other reviews. The characters, while there, seem flat and underdeveloped, and the twist comes completely out of nowhere. While I can respect a good surprise, it's better to provide some foreshadowing, or at least a couple of red herrings, to keep the reader guessing. The twist here isn't predicted at all, and isn't expected, meaning that this story loses the thrill of turning the page to the twist and trying to guess what it is.
However, despite the problems, The Ugly Barnacle does manage to convey a message about modern society, and how we are very obsessed with the physical appearance of people and objects, often forgetting that it's what's on the inside that counts. The barnacle is ugly. There's no ambiguity, no second opinions, it is ugly. However, in a perfect world, this wouldn't matter. The barnacle could live a happy life, not caring for it's appearance. In this world though, the fact that it is ugly causes everyone to react horribly, as they are obsessed with physical beauty. The message is strong here, and is conveyed very well by the author.
The Ugly Barnacle is by no means a perfect book. However, if one overlooks it's flaws, they can find a gripping tale with a strong message. Overall, I recommend picking this one up.