I received my copy of Life of Pi a week or so ago from the kind soul who sent it into the world via Paperback Swap. Thanks!
Ohhhh, this is a good book! I haven’t gone whole hog on it yet; I’m trying to savor it in bits and pieces each night. But soon I know the pace of the story will pick up and I’ll be swept up with it, too.
The writing is solid and just downright inspired. And by inspired, I mean in the purest, simplest and best way possible.
Look, there’s good writing and then there’s writing that’s just plain stuck-up. Writing that’s all about the clever symbolism, or the affected alliteration, or the metaphor that leaves you feeling dull and dim-witted for not getting it the first time. Is it good writing? Yes, but it’s the writing that’s often the best part of such literary endeavors; the overblown and too-pretty prose either kill the story by choking it to death, or by simply forgetting the story altogether, leaving it out in the cold to shiver and die.
There is only one rule to remember in fiction: the story rules supreme over everything. EVERYTHING. I don’t care how witty you think you are or how many cute literary tricks you can pull in one sentence; without the compelling backbeat of a story that rings true, you ain’t got nothin’.
And this story speaks truths in language so sweet you go back and read it again. And again. I hope it only gets better as I race to the end.
For thesole person those of you out there reading along with me, we’ll save bookchat till the end of the month, Wednesday, January 30, 2008. I’ll shove My fingers in my ears and chant, “Na-na-na!” if you try to tell me the end before then!
Ohhhh, this is a good book! I haven’t gone whole hog on it yet; I’m trying to savor it in bits and pieces each night. But soon I know the pace of the story will pick up and I’ll be swept up with it, too.
The writing is solid and just downright inspired. And by inspired, I mean in the purest, simplest and best way possible.
Look, there’s good writing and then there’s writing that’s just plain stuck-up. Writing that’s all about the clever symbolism, or the affected alliteration, or the metaphor that leaves you feeling dull and dim-witted for not getting it the first time. Is it good writing? Yes, but it’s the writing that’s often the best part of such literary endeavors; the overblown and too-pretty prose either kill the story by choking it to death, or by simply forgetting the story altogether, leaving it out in the cold to shiver and die.
There is only one rule to remember in fiction: the story rules supreme over everything. EVERYTHING. I don’t care how witty you think you are or how many cute literary tricks you can pull in one sentence; without the compelling backbeat of a story that rings true, you ain’t got nothin’.
And this story speaks truths in language so sweet you go back and read it again. And again. I hope it only gets better as I race to the end.
For the
Happy Reading!
WM
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Pithy and funny comments always welcome; links to your X-rated crapola will be promptly filed under DELETE.
8-)