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tasuskind's review against another edition
1.0
The only good thing about this book is the cover. Do not recommend.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't want to give this quite so good a rating, as it tried to be too clever for its own good, which gets my back up.
However, it is well written, funny and smart. Quite intense to read, you can't skim read it, it takes concentration as it is a smartly written novel.
Not sure about the final epilogue but I liked the story, if not the main character.
However, it is well written, funny and smart. Quite intense to read, you can't skim read it, it takes concentration as it is a smartly written novel.
Not sure about the final epilogue but I liked the story, if not the main character.
ac_church's review against another edition
2.0
It's falsely marketed as sci-fi, even though as fat as I can tell, there's just a short sci-fi vignette at the end. Otherwise, it's just a series of very loosely connected satirical historical sketches that go nowhere, either with themes or the characters.
micco_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed this book. Ned Beauman does not fail to deliver dynamic characters with many great sub plots to accompany them. The best part is how Ned ties these seemingly unconnected subplots to the major plot which leaves you thinking " Of course, it couldn't have been any other way". My only problem with this book is that there are certain chapters that dragged a bit too long although it always ends with a nice and satisfying unexpected twist which will keep you wanting more.
rdlevitt's review against another edition
4.0
Bizarre but good! I need to reread it to better understand all the random connections throughout the stories.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
4.0
In the last 14 years or so I've noticed a new strain of author. Basically they utilise post modern techniques in their novels and create reasonably accessible works. David Mitchell is one of them,, Jonathan Safran Foer is another, there's Ali Smith and Nicola Barker as well. Well I can say that Ned Beauman is another on of these accessible experimentalists and The Teleportation Accident is a welcome volume to this ever increasing canon of literature.
BUT
I do admit I was debating on whether I should give this novel three or four stars, I chose the latter mainly because Beauman's command of the English language is stunning - not one word out of place, imaginative similes and witty descriptions, not to mention the timing of the punchlines in this novel rival that of a golden age cartoon.
On the downside, the plot has some saggy ends,Beauman tries to be too clever at times and although he pulls it off a lot in this novel, there were some segments which needed severe editing (i'm talking about the section about Bailey) Weirdly Beauman is compared to Pynchon but he's nowhere close. True they both create insane situations but Pynchon is more convoluted. Rather I thought of Hunter S Thompson crossed with a bit of Douglas Adams.
Saying that once I 'got' the novel (about 20 pages in) I just couldn't stop reading it, Beauman has a knack of tying his sub plots together very cleverly and I enjoyed his way of carrying this out. Like I said earlier I did laugh at many points.
I see The Teleportation Accident as a sort precursor to a great life changing novel ( I haven't read Boxer Beetle or Glow yet) There's truckload of potential here and I'd like to see how it will be used in the future.
BUT
I do admit I was debating on whether I should give this novel three or four stars, I chose the latter mainly because Beauman's command of the English language is stunning - not one word out of place, imaginative similes and witty descriptions, not to mention the timing of the punchlines in this novel rival that of a golden age cartoon.
On the downside, the plot has some saggy ends,Beauman tries to be too clever at times and although he pulls it off a lot in this novel, there were some segments which needed severe editing (i'm talking about the section about Bailey) Weirdly Beauman is compared to Pynchon but he's nowhere close. True they both create insane situations but Pynchon is more convoluted. Rather I thought of Hunter S Thompson crossed with a bit of Douglas Adams.
Saying that once I 'got' the novel (about 20 pages in) I just couldn't stop reading it, Beauman has a knack of tying his sub plots together very cleverly and I enjoyed his way of carrying this out. Like I said earlier I did laugh at many points.
I see The Teleportation Accident as a sort precursor to a great life changing novel ( I haven't read Boxer Beetle or Glow yet) There's truckload of potential here and I'd like to see how it will be used in the future.
brown136's review against another edition
3.0
This book was enjoyable towards the middle and end. I liked having an unconventional main character, whom I would consider neither a hero nor an antihero. I refer to Loeser more as the definition of willfully ignorant. He actively ignores the events of the world, even as he lives in Berlin leading up to WWII. I found this fascinating while at the same time oddly being able to picture this person being real.
The introduction of two other characters who briefly have the story told from their points of view was a nice break from Loeser, who would be too insufferable if allowed to be the only main character. The other two have their own unique backstories and also manage to be oblivious to the world around them, but in very different ways.
Now, for the not-so-good. I generally do not feel obligated to continue a book or a movie if the beginning is dull or difficult in some way. I very nearly set this book down without finishing it. The language is so rambling that it was difficult to get into. The passages are very long and especially at the beginning the author spends a lot of time discussing someone who died centuries previously. It was very tedious to get through this part and I found myself falling asleep.
The biggest downfall of the book is lack of character development for Loeser's object of desire. Adele is someone he obsesses over so much that he follows her from Berlin to Los Angeles. But we know next to nothing about her. There are few interactions between these two characters and we are given very few details. She is a character who is just there even though she serves such a major purpose to the main character.
The introduction of two other characters who briefly have the story told from their points of view was a nice break from Loeser, who would be too insufferable if allowed to be the only main character. The other two have their own unique backstories and also manage to be oblivious to the world around them, but in very different ways.
Now, for the not-so-good. I generally do not feel obligated to continue a book or a movie if the beginning is dull or difficult in some way. I very nearly set this book down without finishing it. The language is so rambling that it was difficult to get into. The passages are very long and especially at the beginning the author spends a lot of time discussing someone who died centuries previously. It was very tedious to get through this part and I found myself falling asleep.
The biggest downfall of the book is lack of character development for Loeser's object of desire. Adele is someone he obsesses over so much that he follows her from Berlin to Los Angeles. But we know next to nothing about her. There are few interactions between these two characters and we are given very few details. She is a character who is just there even though she serves such a major purpose to the main character.
lyrareadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Great in concept, exhausting in execution. This is the type of book that demands concentration so as not to lose track of the time jumps, characters, and plot. I found myself getting lost in grammatical choices. I hoped for more and wanted this to be more like a Flann O'Brian but it fell short.
ajay1910's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
"The Teleportation Accident" is a frustrating and forgettable read, failing to deliver on the promises of an intriguing blend of genres. Unless you have a high tolerance for chaotic storytelling and unlikable characters, this novel is best left untouched.