alextoh (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} alextoh) wrote,@ 2006-01-04 00:26:00 |
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Books
I'm currently going through Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Its really good. The plot's really just a cheap mystery flick but the detail and writing and the way facts are intelligently revealed to the reader makes it a great novel. The story works on many levels. With tons of theological discussions going on. Half of which i don't really understand. More philosophical discussions about the thin line between good and evil and whether they can actually be told apart or whether there is such a distinction even. THen there's blood and gore woven in with dead monks in vats of blood and sex too. Cool eh? not to mention some politics thrown in onto the historical backdrop of the novel. The church and its factions, the regent and the pope vying for power. I say read it if you haven't.
The other book i'm just done with, The Sea by John Banville. Won the MAN Booker Prize 2005. Why in the world do they always empahsise the MAN? Wassup with that? i know it used to be the booker... but is the emphasis really necessary? In any case, I feel he won solely on the subtality of his narration. Truly sublime. You know how many books start off with intense, deep detailed and complex narration but slowly wane into simple clear prose to get the story across in the end? This book doesn't. The strong powerful narrative is sustained to the end. My biggest complaint. You really don't get the point of the story until the end when everything links together in a span of a couple of pages. personally, that only works if its Harry Potter or a movie. Which is way Harry Potter is now available in cinemas. I would like to understand the focus of the book as I go on, if not i lose interest. And in this case its easy because most of its really just the old man ranting and recollecting his life.
3 more books i got today. Life of PI, which i should have read a long time ago. I Am Charlotte Simons, which I thought would be easier on the brain after Umberto Eco's. And a 3rd i can't remember, largely cause waterstone's having a 3 for the price of 2 offer.
I'm currently going through Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Its really good. The plot's really just a cheap mystery flick but the detail and writing and the way facts are intelligently revealed to the reader makes it a great novel. The story works on many levels. With tons of theological discussions going on. Half of which i don't really understand. More philosophical discussions about the thin line between good and evil and whether they can actually be told apart or whether there is such a distinction even. THen there's blood and gore woven in with dead monks in vats of blood and sex too. Cool eh? not to mention some politics thrown in onto the historical backdrop of the novel. The church and its factions, the regent and the pope vying for power. I say read it if you haven't.
The other book i'm just done with, The Sea by John Banville. Won the MAN Booker Prize 2005. Why in the world do they always empahsise the MAN? Wassup with that? i know it used to be the booker... but is the emphasis really necessary? In any case, I feel he won solely on the subtality of his narration. Truly sublime. You know how many books start off with intense, deep detailed and complex narration but slowly wane into simple clear prose to get the story across in the end? This book doesn't. The strong powerful narrative is sustained to the end. My biggest complaint. You really don't get the point of the story until the end when everything links together in a span of a couple of pages. personally, that only works if its Harry Potter or a movie. Which is way Harry Potter is now available in cinemas. I would like to understand the focus of the book as I go on, if not i lose interest. And in this case its easy because most of its really just the old man ranting and recollecting his life.
3 more books i got today. Life of PI, which i should have read a long time ago. I Am Charlotte Simons, which I thought would be easier on the brain after Umberto Eco's. And a 3rd i can't remember, largely cause waterstone's having a 3 for the price of 2 offer.
