Gotham Central is a damn masterpiece. I could end the review with that, as really that says it all, but I need to sing its praises.
Greg Rucka and Ed Gotham Central is a damn masterpiece. I could end the review with that, as really that says it all, but I need to sing its praises.
Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker created one of the most compelling series in all of comics... a Batman story without the Bat. Well, I guess he is technically in it, but of the 900+ pages of the series, he's in maybe 20 all around. His presence looms over everything, but this is not his story. Instead, it is a police procedural, focusing on the cops of Gotham City. Each story is a different case, but it's written as a gritty crime story rather than a super hero tale. The villains may have super powers, but there's no stopping to save the world here; instead we get cases of blackmails, snipers, serial killers and corruption. We follow a rotating cast of detective all apart of the major crimes unit, as they attempt to make the city a better place... but this is Gotham, and in classic noir style, sometimes the best you can hope for is to take your loss and try to learn from it.
This is one of the most compelling comics I've ever read. It drew me in with the idea of showing how Gotham city cops would deal with situations like making a standard check and accidentally running into Mr. Freeze, but I was invested enough that I didn't care if major villains showed up or not. I enjoyed following the various detectives and seeing their dynamic. I enjoyed watching their cases unfold... and sometimes found it heartbreaking to see the end result. Those looking for an uplifting tale where the heroes pull off a great win may want to look elsewhere. Sometimes punching a villain makes your case get thrown out in court. Sometimes the evidence doesn't stick... sometimes it's just a loss in general.
It's a great read from start to finish. My personal favorite storyline involved the Joker with a sniper rifle a few days before Christmas, but honestly, it would have been a good story even if it hadn't been the Joker. He's just here to remind you that in Gotham, every day could be that classic "one bad day"....more
This is a very charming (pun intended) Batman story. In it, Bruce Wayne discovers he may have an illegitimate daughter (I mean, millionaire playboy waThis is a very charming (pun intended) Batman story. In it, Bruce Wayne discovers he may have an illegitimate daughter (I mean, millionaire playboy was in his description for the longest time...), as news about this gets out around Gotham, the Joker hatches a plan to kidnap the girl and hold her ransom. For obvious reasons it takes place out of main continuity of the comic, but I found aspects of this idea fairly clever. I also particularly enjoyed how it framed the Joker's relationship with this girl. It was a nice contrast as we see him both at his best and worst: he kills his henchmen for the smallest reasons here, yet he also plays with this child in a way that seems genuinely set to try not to make her afraid.
Marini's artwork is stunning and honestly worth reading the book for. I'm glad DC published it as a larger sized book (at least the TP copies are) as it allows for more details to be seen.
Unfortunately, while Marini's artwork may be stunning, and his ideas of how the Joker would interact with this child are amusing, much of his writing leaves a lot to be desired. The women in the story come off as petty and constantly jealous (I've seen other reviews discuss it about Harley, but I was honestly more annoyed by the writing of Catwoman, who even after Bruce explains the situation, still sits there going "why is he doing this?" at one point). Much of his dialogue also feels very rough.
So, while I enjoyed this quite a bit, I can't call it a great Batman story. Still, the art is stunning and I do enjoy the Joker's scenes with the girl. Worth a look. ...more
I found this a very solid Batman story, though I have quite a few issues with it.
We'll start with the good stuff, because I believe there's quite a bI found this a very solid Batman story, though I have quite a few issues with it.
We'll start with the good stuff, because I believe there's quite a bit here.
1. The art. I really dig Sale's art and love his very shadowy/noir take on Gotham city. His character designs (with the exception of the Joker) also are very interesting and I particularly liked his Poison Ivy design.
2. Much like how I described the art above, I like the noir feel of it. It takes just as much inspiration from classic noir and gangster films as it does from the comics that came before it, and I genuinely enjoy that.
3. As a retelling of Two-Face's story, I think it's a really good take.
Now things I don't like get a bit spoiler-ish, so consider yourself warned.
1. I didn't care that it presented itself as a fair play mystery only to not exactly play too fair. There's a bit of cheating here which makes sense from a "character" perspective, but not from a narrative one.
2. As mentioned above, I like most of the character designs, but the Joker's really goes against the darker "more realistic" storyline they seemed to be going for.
3. A bit too jammed pack with villains. When the penguin showed up for like one page I did a double take wondering if I'd actually just seen him at all.
Overall though, I really like the story. There's a lot of great things about it and I found myself flipping back through and just enjoying the overall feel of the book. Obviously it went on to inspire quite a few (The Dark Knight movie clearly was partially inspired by it down to the "I Believe in Harvey Dent" repetition and the mob money sequence). Very solid....more
I seem to the in the minority on this one, but I found it a very middle ground horror novella. Nothing about it blew me away, but it was readable and I seem to the in the minority on this one, but I found it a very middle ground horror novella. Nothing about it blew me away, but it was readable and I never felt like I wanted to give up on it. It's entertaining, but I kept feeling like there was a bigger and better story here that didn't quite come out in the book.
The idea of a haunted video based on Budd Dwyer was rather creative (and if you don't know who Budd Dwyer is, the introduction to the book will explain... just please, don't go looking for videos of him). I've never seen the video that is being referenced, but I heard about it as a teen and knew even then it was nothing I wanted to see.
I enjoyed that the ghost is less of an actual ghost and more of a representation of depression. I found that extremely clever and it made me want to like the story all the more.
So, yeah, I do give the author points for an interesting plot... I just wish there had been a bit more of it. As things stand, this felt more like proof of an idea than a finished book to me....more
“What a crooked little vein you travel. All the way to the heart of America.”
A detective novel involving a secret American constitution, paranoia, a “What a crooked little vein you travel. All the way to the heart of America.”
A detective novel involving a secret American constitution, paranoia, a drugged-up Chief-of-Staff, perverts, Godzilla bukkake, tantric bestiality, many a debate on what makes something “mainstream” and the good old fashioned American way.
This is a book I don’t think I can really recommend to anyone. If the weirdness doesn’t get you, then perhaps more perverted sections will. If those don’t get you, how about the way it portrays the US government and everyone involved in... well anything. If that doesn’t bother you, maybe the constant author tracts where Ellis gives you his opinion on any given subject through his characters will (though this leads to the absolutely hilarious line "Now holllld on. A seventy-year-old serial killer is gonna lecture me on the intynets."). Point is, there’s some offensive stuff in this book and Ellis runs through it all with the gleeful enthusiasm of a 13 year old boy who discovered that he’s anonymous when he posts any random thought on the internet.
It’s interesting reading a novel that seems tailor made to offend everyone. It also falls into the “bizzarro” novel category which I’ve made it very clear over the last decade or so of reviews that I do not enjoy... but at least it has enough of a coherent plot, no matter how weird it gets, that I didn’t completely hate it. I also wasn’t offended by it, despite Ellis’s best efforts, but that likely says more about my own jaded nature than anything else.
This is fortunately a quick read, or I likely would not have finished it. Some of its antics are funny, but it’s the sort of thing that wears out its welcome quickly. Its plot changes at a rapid fire pace, which is also fortunate as anytime we’re in one place too long it made me realize how the book doesn’t really work. The weird for weirdness sake aspects only hold so much charm and when you get past that, the book really is just Ellis talking to hear himself speak. Sometimes that’s amusing... sometimes even insightful, but not really enough to hold a full novel. In the back of my copy of the book there’s an interview with Ellis in which he claims that the origin of the novel came about because when he got a Hollywood agent he “inherited” a literary one as well who kept bothering him to write a book. He wrote the first ten thousand words thinking it would make her go away and instead she sold it to Harper Collins. While that may just be a joke, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. It feels like something someone would turn in, laughing the entire time about how it would make someone stop asking them for something only for them to sell it and the writer to go “oh shit... now I have to finish it.” ...more
So, anyone who follows my reviews or my book updates may be sitting here going “Hey! Tim, this is decidedly not Christine by Stephen King. Why did youSo, anyone who follows my reviews or my book updates may be sitting here going “Hey! Tim, this is decidedly not Christine by Stephen King. Why did you stop the killer car book after making a big statement about how you were finally going to read it for book with a smiling cat and some noodles on the cover?”
Quick answer: the flu.
Longer answer: still the flu, but man it knocked me out. I felt terrible. I was miserable and frankly didn’t feel like reading a book in which other people were miserable as well. I’ll be back to that one, but I needed a break and a Japanese slice-of-life novel sounded like a sound choice.
The book is an interesting idea. It follows a father and daughter at a restaurant that specializes in finding foods that people remember. The father is both a chef and former detective and will go out to great lengths to find the specific flavor you remember. Each chapter is basically a short story case named after the food they’re searching for.
It’s a charming idea and for the most part quite fun. It does have many problems though. Each chapter is structured pretty much the same:
Introduce someone. They have a meal there before finally asking for help. The meal is delicious. They walk down a hall and look at pictures of food the chef has made at some point. Food is described tie to nostalgic memory. They’re told to come back later. Chef has found it and explains how as they eat it.
Again, this is fine for the most part and there are some variations in the formula. The problem is that we are given no real time with the characters. They’re all part of the set piece for the “case.” We also are told the investigation, so we are never given time with the detective/chef as he actually investigates, hearing his actions instead much like the clients. It feels almost as if these are ideas for episodes of a TV show rather than fully formed stories/character.
In closing: It’s a quick fun read (especially if you like Japanese food). It is not great by any means, and I can completely see where someone would get bored quickly if they aren’t charmed by the idea. That said, for me, it was the perfect quick read while I was suffering from the flu. It killed time and I had fun, so that’s worth something. 3/5...more
So, I have discovered that cozy fantasy is completely my jam. This may sound funny coming from a pretty die-hard horror and grimdark fan, but there’s So, I have discovered that cozy fantasy is completely my jam. This may sound funny coming from a pretty die-hard horror and grimdark fan, but there’s something about these fantasy novels where not much happens, most everyone is a pretty decent person and the biggest concerns typically are about paring food with tea or coffee. It just... makes me happy.
This one is highly entertaining. I love the idea of someone going off to slay a dark lord only for said dark lord to be a pretty cool guy who worries that anyone going after him may have a hidden death wish and is happy to offer his psychiatrist to them. It’s just a great concept and it plays it off with the right amount of humor.
There are a couple of things I should note to possible readers:
1st: this is a lit-RPG. It’s a genre I don’t typically have any interest in (not dismissing it though to all you fans). If you don’t want to see character stats and things, it may come off as annoying. Frankly the fact that I didn’t have to read combat dice rolls made it fine in my opinion. As a DND player, I truly can’t think of anything worse than having to have to read roll by roll combat.
2nd: Some are calling this a “Romantasy.” If that is what you are looking for, you again might be disappointed. While there is a romance, and yes, it is a central plot point, but the book seems more concerned with the actual fantasy goings on, the psychological aspects of our lead and the idea of baking (which frankly is charming as all hell in my opinion).
If you’re here for just a cozy read, something comparable to Legends and Lattes, you’ve come to the right place. The book does have its flaws (most notable and one I would be remiss not to mention, chapter 81 switches from first person to third for the last couple of paragraphs and that frankly did annoy me), but nothing that isn’t forgivable due to the charm of the book itself....more
Achievement unlocked: You've Finished Dungeon Crawler Carl Reward: What do you want? A pat on the back? Sure that may sound nice, but finishing the bookAchievement unlocked: You've Finished Dungeon Crawler Carl Reward: What do you want? A pat on the back? Sure that may sound nice, but finishing the book was it's own reward. You want more? Write a review and see if people like it... nerd.
Alright, from a realistic standpoint, I should not give this book 5 stars. I really should give it 4... but I honestly haven't laughed this hard while reading a book since I picked up The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy when I was 11 years old. This book is an absolute delight from start to finish. The humor is perfection, yet it also contains a good story with a solid enough emotional impact, that while never becoming too much of a downer or going into too grim of a territory, elevates it just beyond a silly story.
Also, Prince Donut is one of the greatest characters in all of literature. Sure Elizabeth Bennet may go to more parties than Doughnut, but Donut's wit and snark defeats Elizabeth... and if the snark didn't, the magic missiles sure would....more
Years ago I read a book called The Decagon House Murders. I had enjoyed the book overall, but one aspect of it really stood out to me. Sōji Shimada haYears ago I read a book called The Decagon House Murders. I had enjoyed the book overall, but one aspect of it really stood out to me. Sōji Shimada had an introduction in my edition where he discussed the concept of Honkaku genre, which is a style of mystery/detective novel. In English we would usually refer to them as "fair play" mysteries, the sort the reader can solve if they pay attention... yet at the same time, in Japan this genre is consider almost a game rather than literature. It's a challenge by the author to you the reader, and games have rules, so the author needs to play fair. As soon as I started this book, I realized that no matter how the English publisher tried to present this as a "Mystery-Horror Sensation", what I was looking at was a well constructed game.
I delighted in this challenge.
Are you familiar with the animation concept of layering? Hand drawn animation was typically made with stacked layers of animation that allow animators to edit and add elements to an animation without affecting the entire sequence. For example: the background could be one layer, the second could be a person and the third could be something the person was holding. If they needed to change any one of these three things, they could work on one of those two layers without altering the rest of the final picture.
Why do I bring this up?
This is a book filled with pictures, the pictures hold almost all the clues when analyzed... many of those clues are on the very cover of the book... but the very structure of the novel is paying homage to the idea of layering. The book consists of what seems like three short stories and a final chapter. This is not a short story collection. This is a novel. Consider those three chapters layers and that final chapter a picture. I assure you, it works well with that thought process.
Now, as I always do when finishing this type of novel: did I solve it?
Yes and no. I did not solve the first chapter until it was explained. I solved the second. I did not solve the third... but I got the full layered picture before I even started that final chapter.
(view spoiler)[Even with understanding, points must be given for the terrifying line: "Naomi sat next to her mother's corpse, weeping tears of joy." (hide spoiler)]
4 stars and a very big recommendation for all fans of mysteries where the fun is more in the challenge than the characters....more
Man, I hate beginning any review like that. Of course I wish I liked it more. Frankly even when I like a bookThis a book I really wish I liked more...
Man, I hate beginning any review like that. Of course I wish I liked it more. Frankly even when I like a book and give it four stars, I obviously wish I liked it more so it could have gotten that fifth star. It's such a ridiculous way to start a review. Let's try this again:
*Resets time*
This is a book I... wish... had been better.
No, that's the same thing.
*Resets time again*
Wait... I don't have the power to reset time? Oh, disappointing. Much like this book (hey-o, now that's a better start!).
All jokes aside, this is a book that was filled with so much potential. The book takes place in an alternate Korea where the concept of the magic girl cartoons basically happen. Young women find out they have a certain power and use it to try to save the world. Here's the thing though, if you're spending a full time job putting yourself at risk, using magic to alter reality and dealing with criminal elements while trying to at least somewhat hide your identity, well, what insurance company is going to let you sign on? This and several other aspects led to a union for magic girls.
That concept right there, honestly kind of brilliant. I read that description and decided I had to check this out. When it plays with these sort of real world issues, I found it great fun.
It just doesn't play with them much. Instead we follow a 29 year old woman who is feeling suicidal, until she suddenly finds out that she has powers (the magic girl of time maybe?!?!?). She ends up learning from a clairvoyant magic girl though that she has an important future ahead and... honestly not much happens. The book is only 150 pages, and while it was clearly written for adults, it feels like a YA short story. We get about 50 pages of interesting real world outlook on magic girls, 50 pages of the main character trying to learn her power, 40 pages of conflict and then a quick wrap up.
In the end it felt very unsatisfying. It was overly simplistic, didn't deliver on the "real world" aspects and the main conflict was so quick that it also just felt... dull. There were so many good ideas here, I wish it would have taken its time and been a bit longer, then it could have been good fun, but as things stand it feels more like a proof of concept than a full story....more
James Bond, 007, international icon. It's always fascinating to me picking up a book like this, the first in a series that has far outgrown what the aJames Bond, 007, international icon. It's always fascinating to me picking up a book like this, the first in a series that has far outgrown what the author created, and seeing the original intent. In some ways it's hard to separate the cultural impact of Bond as the icon when reading the book. Tell me honestly, while even thinking of the character, did you immediately jump to Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan or Craig? I know I thought of my favorite interpretation.
The book's Bond is a bit different. He's not immediately assigned the job because he's a super cool secret agent... no he's assigned the job because he's a good gambler. While he does have the classic license to kill, he's apparently only killed two people and only one of them was an up-close fight. Hell, he's still figuring out his martini, and while shaken not stirred is mentioned, I think he only drinks one or two, which means he drinks more wine/champagne in the book instead.
Alright, let's stop comparing. How does the book work on its own?
Honest opinion: it's alright. It's fairly entertaining. Fits pretty firmly in the classic "adventure" fiction. Not my usual big thing, but I can't say I didn't enjoy myself while reading. That said, the misogyny was a big turn off. Yes, yes, I know, it's Bond, I should expect some of that... and indeed I did. I just wasn't expecting his inner monologue and quite frequent outer dialogue for him to refer to the female lead as a "bitch" seemingly half the time he mentions her. That aspect did lower the rating for me as it went beyond "oh, it was a different time" and much more into "wow, either the character is a complete ass or the writer is" territory. ...more
I'm not a huge X-Men fan at the best of times and I don't keep track of Marvel (let alone the new Ultimate Universe) but a friend of mine gave me thisI'm not a huge X-Men fan at the best of times and I don't keep track of Marvel (let alone the new Ultimate Universe) but a friend of mine gave me this as an early Christmas present with the assurance that it would be up my alley. Now this is a friend who reads a lot of American comics. I mean, the sort of person who is at the comic shop weekly picking up his individual issues of every series he has even the most minor interest in. I say this with respect. I honestly can listen to him talk comics as much as he wants as he knows a lot about them and is passionate about the subject. As such, when someone gives me such a gift based on their own interest, I take notice.
Well, I read it and yeah, he knows what I like.
This is a new interpretation of X-Men. I'm sure some comic fans hate the use of that title given that this reinterpretation is pretty much all teen girls. It takes place in Japan, and uses a great deal of Japanese myths and pop-culture with this lens (for example, when dealing with the shadow based mutant, it comes off very J-Horror in presentation). It's in my opinion, a very interesting take with some beautiful artwork. I was familiar with some of Peach Momoko's art before, but it's really stunning seeing the work in this collection.
I know some people really dislike one aspect of this series, but it's also one I will praise. While it is a part of the "Ultimate" universe, it seems to pretty much ignore the other comics. It takes place as mentioned in Japan, these characters aren't interacting with the others, so it's a very stand alone series. As someone who outright hates Spider-man and has no interest in the new Black Panther series, I find this wonderful as I can sit down and read this series without feeling like I have to read characters I don't like just to understand the plot.
So, in conclusion, this is a damn fun read. Pacing seems a touch off in places, it honestly moves to fast for my liking (which is funny as another complaint is that some find it too slow), but overall I really enjoy it and would like to see some of the side-characters fleshed out a bit more in upcoming volumes. ...more
Hello again Goodreads. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Over a year. It’s interesting thinking about it... not only is this my first review in over a yeaHello again Goodreads. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Over a year. It’s interesting thinking about it... not only is this my first review in over a year, but the first novel I’ve completed in that time. Sure, I’ve picked up books and started them thinking “I need to get back into this” and within fifty pages I’ve put it down and gone along my not so merry way. I won’t bore you with the details of my life since then, but enough people expressed concern that I’ll say I’m better now. I still have bad days, but my snark and snide humor still resides (he said foreshadowingly...)
“Yes, yes,” say the people who don’t followed me. “That’s all well and good, but this is a book review, not your facebook page or blog, kindly review the book or GTFO.”
Sorry, but this is my spotlight for a moment. I mention this for a reason beyond being an update. I mention it because there’s a scene in this book where someone describes the love of reading, that upon getting to it, filled my heart with nostalgia for something I didn’t even realize I missed. I’ve missed reading. I’ve missed reading the reviews of others. I’ve missed you all.
(“Again, not a speech Mr. Reviewer. Kindly get on with it.”)
This is not a perfect book by any means. It fits in nicely as one of those short Japanese novels that are mostly dialogue, light on plot, and have a lot of confused narrators going “what the hell am I doing with my life?”
God, I needed that. It may not be perfect, but it’s the perfect book for this specific time in my life. It’s a cozy read. Like being placed under a literary warm blanket. It’s what I needed. If I had to say anything negative about it, I would say that the second section of the book doesn't work quite as well as the first, and given that it's supposed to be the emotional heart of the book, that's a touch disappointing. Still, it doesn't hurt it much at all.
May it bring any other readers the same comfort it gave me.
Thank you for your time.
(“Decent finish, but terrible review. Blocked.”)...more
Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading.Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading. It's not funny and the characters are all bland. It just doesn't stand out in any positive way (and the areas where it is notable are all… less than favorable). It overall is a major disappointment for what could have been. It is readable and not truly terrible which saves it from a dreaded one star... but it's just not that interesting.
Could it improve in a second volume? Sure, that's possible. Do I care to find out? Not really. 2/5
My thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
Well, this one is most certainly not for me. I don't care for the art. The plot while interesting in description is rather a dull affair when reading. It's not funny and the characters are all bland. It just doesn't stand out in any positive way (and the areas where it is notable are all… less than favorable). It overall is a major disappointment for what could have been. It is readable and not truly terrible which saves it from a dreaded one star... but it's just not that interesting.
Could it improve in a second volume? Sure, that's possible. Do I care to find out? Not really. 2/5
My thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
How does one write a eulogy for Batman? That's the question DC pretty much gave Neil Gaiman, telling him to write a final story for the initial run ofHow does one write a eulogy for Batman? That's the question DC pretty much gave Neil Gaiman, telling him to write a final story for the initial run of Detective Comics. Sure Batman would continue, but how would he make a story that sums up everything that Batman is and was?
Well, it's an impossible task. The book does not fully succeed, nor could it ever, but what we get certainly gets the point across.
Here we are given a funeral for Batman. Friends, foes and several characters somewhere in-between gather together and tell the story of how he died. They are all extremely inconsistent, but all feel like an ending that could have fit a different era of Batman. It's a fascinating read with beautiful artwork and as good of a send off to a beloved character as could possibly be done... not perfect, but wonderful. 4/5 ...more
Ah, the first Sherlock novel. The one that introduced us to the world's greatest detective. The one he seemingly hands over to another narrator for a Ah, the first Sherlock novel. The one that introduced us to the world's greatest detective. The one he seemingly hands over to another narrator for a third of the book…
Do you want to hear Doyle rant about Mormons for a good third of the book? If that is the case, you my dear friend are in luck! For everyone else, the mystery of this book is fairly interesting, but the long section where we break away from our leads is more of a sad story with more than a touch of the author standing up and ranting.
The most entertaining aspect about the novel for me was, as someone who has read many of the stories prior to the novel, is how the characters changed after the initial book. I always think of Watson as something of the man of action, and here he talks about being lazy and being in such poor health that he feels it unlikely that he will fully recover. Seems quite a different Watson from the one most people I think generally know.
Overall I found the book entertaining, but I think Doyle greatly improved as he went on. Particularly in terms of his short stories plotting. 3/5 stars...more
I am not a good enough reviewer to properly express why this is a five star book. I cannot do it justice with my meager words. My only hope is to possI am not a good enough reviewer to properly express why this is a five star book. I cannot do it justice with my meager words. My only hope is to possibly express just a touch of why this book works.
I've read three of Soseki's books and I've had a weird "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" reaction to them. First was Botchan which I really liked but had some major issues with the translation (this chair was too hard). Second was Kusamakura which has one of the most perfect translations I've ever read, with every chapter being beautiful, but I simply disliked the book (this chair was too soft). Then there is Kokoro which is just right in every way.
The book is deceptively simple. It follows a young man who meets an older gentleman who he refers to as Sensei the entire time. He looks up to Sensei though can't quite seem to express why. Sensei is a cynical man who holds no position. He simply stays home with his wife and reads. What happened in Sensei's past? Well that's something our narrator intends to find out.
Let me say now, during the first third of this book I kept asking myself why I was continuing on with it. The narrator is not a particularly likable fellow and Sensei honestly isn't really either. I was annoyed at these two people (and at least one of our narrator's actions actively angered me... which is unusual as I'm not the sort to get mad at fictional characters) and frankly when we started getting Sensei's past I thought it was pretty obvious where it was going... but at some point something clicked for me. It's hard to fully explain but I became engrossed not with the actual events, but the reactions of the characters. When we get inside Sensei's head and hear some of his descriptions of events I was caught up in his practically paranoid outlook and found the way he unfolded his tale to be fascinating.
There's something about this book that is practically insidious. The story itself is interesting, but not exactly groundbreaking... but it's told in a perfect manner. It got under my skin in a way that I couldn't stop thinking about it. I would be at work and a part of it would pop into my head. I would be driving and start thinking about Sensei's words. It's the sort of book that feels, while not really a perfect story, a perfectly told version of the story.
Again, I don't even know if what I'm saying makes sense, but at this point it's really the best I can do. The book is a masterpiece and one that will no doubt be staying with me for quite some time. 5/5 stars. ...more