Oh Bonnie, I said it last month and I need to say it again "we need a decent book, I book I can love, a book that ignites my love of reading" and NONE of the choices so far have done it for me. They are just so Blah. Maybe how they are picked next year needs to change. Its frustrating me a little..... but still the majority voted and the majority chose this book - I'd say Thanks but I wouldn't mean it. On a similar note to Divergent last month (read my scathing review here) this became a real toil for me to finish. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it but I didn't particularly like it either it was just so "meh".
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| not gonna lie it was neither Dazzling or Enchanting |
The novel's plot is fairly straightforward: two magicians of indefinite but certainly magically long lifespan – one a public performer named Prospero the Enchanter, aka Hector Bowen; the other known only as "the man in the grey suit" or "Mr. A. H---" – are engaged in a profound rivalry, played out over many generations by appointed pupils. But this simple plot becomes so complex because Morgenstern massively overstyles her writing. I just found it really over pretentious; very "whimsy" which I think just left me all frustrated. I always feel like that sort of style is really contrived and I think it definitely was in this novel.
What made me so cross in this instance was that she would rattle away for ages about the imagery and didn't focus on perfecting her plot. Because it was a weak plot and it just made everything so long and drawn out. I'm not a long and drawn out kind of girl. Urgh it was annoying. and to be honest just meant that I whizzed through much of the book. And for someone who loved to go into so much detail, things in the book were never really explained and so I was left wondering why certain things had happened.
To be fair this sort of stuff just isn't my genre. I love Narnia and I'm ok with Harry Potter but I'm just not into fantasy or science fiction. Its not what I ever choose to read and while I'm open to trying new things Divergent and Night Circus have proved to me that it's not my cup of tea. I finished this book as a big confused mess. I literally have no idea what went on or why or how.
FAIL
So please do tell me, am I missing something? Did everyone else love this?
As I did last month may I suggest an alternative? My recommendation is that instead of this book we should have read "The Magic Toyshop" by Angela Carter. An amazing amazing book where imagery and excellent writing supporting a really strong plot. Read it and forget this book because it is instantly forgettable.
I’m going to stick with the book club as I really believe that you have to stretch yourself when it comes to reading, but my oh my I hope I like the next one - The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. Fingers crossed right?!
