It is. Kinda. Hard to describe exactly where it belongs, in terms of genre. But it's definitely worth a read. It's really funny. Totally unlike his other work.
About 100 pages into Narcissus and Goldmund by Hesse. Surprisingly good so far. I hadn't read any Hesse before this, not even Steppenwolf, so it's interesting finally to see what his style is and how he approaches characters. I've very much enjoyed what I've read, although now that Goldmund has left the monastery, I can see the book being less about Narcissus. I'm more interested in the latter character's perspective. It's an oddly endearing book and the monastery setting is described well.
I first thought you were referring to the Stephen King novel of the same name. Haven't read Woodward's book yet. I read Fear and found that most of it ended up revealed in the media.
I read that book years ago, and have never forgotten the experience, though many of the details are hazy. It was a good read and had a lot of impact on me.
I'm now at the part where Goldmund has created his masterpiece. I love the sense of time passing and how Goldmund learns through time. I still think the book is oddly named given that most of it has so far been about Goldmund, and I would have liked to read much more about Narcissus' inner yearnings, but I guess I can't change that. The medieval setting is both vague and impressively rendered. There is a nice feeling of progression as he goes from village to village and town to town. As for negatives, I'll say that I find it difficult to connect to Goldmund's constant love affairs and find it difficult as a reader to care. They constantly come and go--why am I expected to care about this woman? Overall, I'm finding this a very pleasant and enlightening read. I'm also glad I read several books on medieval art this year as it's given me a grounding for the whole Master Niklaus episode.
I've recently started reading Crime & Punishment again for the fifth or sixth time. I remember randomly picking it up in WHSmiths one day under the impression it would be an immensely difficult read and it turned out to be accessible and soon became my favourite book. It's usually my first port of call when I wish to make reading a habit again. The ending never fails to bring me to tears and it reads like one massive panic attack. Afterwards, I intend to read Demons for the second time, I imagine it will be infinitely more enjoyable when I read through it with a comprehensive memory of the characters involved. The first time I read it I had to make so many notes to keep track of things, but it was incredible... I'll always be up for talking about Dostovesky as I imagine there are likely a lot of people here that love his works. What i've always wondered is why Porfiry and Raskolnikov's sentencing seemingly disregard his murder of Lizaveta. I'm curious if this is some sort of analogy suggestive of the era's treatment of the disabled or whether it's a plot hole.
Recently read Willful Machines. Amazing book, and definitely one that'll make you feel. The sequel hasn't been written yet, but there's still hope!
I've been on a novella and short novel audiobook bender for the last couple of days. I've heard several long books in a row, and I'm planning a binge of either Dune or the Hyperion Cantos and wanted to get in some shorter works I've been meaning to get to for some time. A Monster Calls was incredible. I highly suggest it if you ever feel the need to cry off and on for three hours. A five star book, definitely. Ten Days in a Madhouse was well-written for nineteenth century investigative journalism. And wow, the things a woman could get locked up for back then were astounding. I probably would have enjoyed Of Mice and Men more if I hadn't seen the movie. Still, I love John Steinbeck's prose. It was worth reading even knowing the big ending. I found Carmilla to be overrated. I guess the old gothic horror just doesn't do it for me. I enjoyed Giovanni's Room, but it leaned a little toward boring. I'm glad it wasn't any longer than it was at least. I've searched, and this is one of only two mainstream novels I've found featuring a bisexual male protagonist, the other being In One Person by John Irving, and neither were really to my taste. You have to hand it to James Baldwin though. It was released in 1956. The fact that it even featured LGBT+ characters, let alone a bi MC was seriously bold for the time. All that aside, Baldwin's prose is genius. I can't say I liked it anywhere near as much as If Beale Street Could Talk, but it was worth the read. I've been meaning to read The Time Machine since I was a kid. I'm glad I finally got to it, but I think I would have enjoyed it more when I was young. Dolly - A Ghost Story was a little disappointing. Even though it was super short (about a three hour read) I wanted something to happen earlier in the story. The majority of the "scares" were saved until the end, and they were a little tame. I'm not sorry I read it, but it fails as a horror story. I'm halfway through Frankenstein now, and wow is it different from the condensed kid's version I read thirty years ago. For a two-hundred year old book, it's very accessible.
Just to add to my above comments, I finished Narcissus and Goldmund and it's one of the best books I've read all year. Next, I'm going to read Too Loud a Solitude by Hrabal. Sadly it looks like it's going to take a while to arrive though, 29th October. That's a bit much.
I just finished Frankenstein today and Carmilla a couple of days ago. Was everyone in the nineteenth century a delicate little flower? They take to bed for weeks when startled. That wasn't my number one takeaway from either, but it bothered me to the point that I might not emerge from my bed chamber for a fortnight.
It was good. It's a classic for a reason. The prose was very poetic, which I liked. The story and drama were well-executed. I didn't love the characters though. They're both villains, but I guess that was the point. Frankenstein is morally careless and alternatingly ruthless and dainty, which bothered me to no end. He shows no humanity toward his own creation. In fact, he seems to only care about himself. He feels grief at his own losses, but only cares so far as the losses affect him personally. I would have cared more what happened to him throughout if he'd shown an ounce of compassion. The creature is more sympathetic to start but turns to murder of the innocent as a solution to his problems? He's vile. They both are. This didn't ruin the book for me. It just bugged me a lot, Frankenstein especially. Like a lot of readers, I want someone to root for. I didn't find that. It was a four star, in my opinion.
I did find it in me to root for Victor, a bit, or at least sympathize. That may or may not reflect poorly on me. I'm currently reading Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor, which is a Science-Fantasy novel set in post-apocalyptic Africa. Three chapters in I'm not quite sure what I think. It's well-written, but so far it's mostly been backstory, and boy is it dark. It's a strong start and I think it could end up being very good.
Just finished Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel, about the finding of a giant robot in pieces all over the world. It's told in the form of multiple interviews. It is a rather novel (intended) idea and there are another two books in the series. Not sure if they are all in the same form, and I'm not sure how I feel about reading all three books in interview form, despite the first being very good indeed.
I'm reading The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell. It's pretty great. I read Cloud Atlas a year or two ago, and these books have me thinking I could turn a string of novellas into a much longer novel. I'm going to work on this idea. Separate note: I don't feel I've read a full on five star novel this year. I've read plenty of four and a half star books, but nothing that was perfect. If anyone has any suggestions as to a world-altering reading experience, I'm all ears. I'm not picky on genres, but I do tend toward the fantastical: Harry Potter, It, Lamb, American Gods, The Handmaid's Tale, etc.
I assume you've read Dune? A Canticle for Leibowitz was a really good book. It earned five stars from me. I remember Till We Have Faces was also five stars, but I don't remember it very well--it's a retelling of the story of Psyche and Cupid from the perspective of Psyche's sister. Quite interesting if you're into that sort of thing.
Ever tried something by Matt Ruff? My favourite is Fool on the Hill, though it‘s been a few years since I‘ve read it.
I have finished Will by Jeroen Olyslaegers today, a good but somehow difficult read (it took me 10 days). Now I‘m reading The Chain by Adrian McKinty.
I am currently reading 'Ulysses.' For many years I said I would never read this book because I wouldn't fall into the trap of thinking just because it was in the canon and topping all these best novel of all time lists that I should read it. The reason I have started it is because many of my favorite writers have recommended it. In particular, realist writers have said it was fantastic and worth the effort. I am about half way through and am not completely overwhelmed at this point. I've just kind of accepted some sections will be harder to get through than others and I have a little guidebook I am reading alongside it to help me with what I am too stupid to understand.
