chihuahua0
Since: Jul, 2010
07/03/2011 00:00:00
So you recommend it because it's So Bad Its Good?
In my opinion, the prose was very beautiful and quirky at the same time. The characters are far from cardboard. A lot of the characters have clear motives, with some shades of gray.
And also, the "spoiler" is a Foregone Conclusion that makes the ending more shocking. One Lemony Narrator from another book once said that it's more suspenseful when you know something's going bad is going to happen to the characters. This is a World War II book, though. Also, its supposed to be a Slice Of Life. Hence, a cynical one.
So, of course, Your Mileage May Vary.
I need to re-read this book one day to give it a proper review.
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Stilted prose. Lotsa narm.
If figurative language is potpourri, then this book is that crazy old cat lady's house down the block. Wooh. Overpowering. Makes your figurative eyes water and figurative temples pound.
It's like that kid with the Axe deodorant who's like "This smells good!" WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH
The book walks a fine line between poetic and stupid, dramatic and narmy, holocaust and lolocaust.
Personally, I find it's on the negative end of all three, but it could just be that I'm a negative person.
I read a few chapters in and then began to stall when the language began to stagnate and reek, when it became apparent that the characters revealed were all cardboard "Fascist pigs" vs "Tolerant, Jew-supporting, Fuhrer-hating protagonists", when the narrator decided to give away a major spoiler (which was stupid move, not bold), and when the plot decided it was going nowhere.
I cannot tell you exactly how many times I stopped reading to roll my eyes at the author's latest attempt to appear poetic and thoughtful, but it was quite a few.
Recommended.