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kate4ez's review against another edition
5.0
This book is definitely a page-turner. Actually, i turned the pages several times. I would read a section just for the novel text, then go back and hit the footnotes, then read it once more for the margin notes and inserts. I found it easier to switch between story streams when I focused on one story at a time.
Overall, both (all three?) stories were interesting, and the unusual format made it a fun read. My only complaint with the format is that the print was hard to read in the footnotes (too small) and in the pencil-written margin notes (too faint). I had to use a light-up magnifying lens to read them.
Overall, both (all three?) stories were interesting, and the unusual format made it a fun read. My only complaint with the format is that the print was hard to read in the footnotes (too small) and in the pencil-written margin notes (too faint). I had to use a light-up magnifying lens to read them.
timlarsson's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book. I must say I wanted read more of the margin notes... to know what happened. This is a book that requires some imagination and needs you to fill out the blanks.
emprae's review against another edition
5.0
I love that the classic Ship of Theseus thought experiment has been turned into a novel with so many layers. The way the constructs of identity and time are dealt with throughout the novel (and within the margins and footnotes) is intriguing. I haven't thought so much about literary themes since I was in undergrad, and it was a wonderful bit of nostalgia for me.
I also think the ending was not anticlimactic so long as you look at the story the way Jen sees it from the beginning (and the way Eric comes to see it). Although, I may feel that way since I read the text and the margin notes together as one on the first read. I'm looking forward to continuing to think on this one and delve into some of the mysteries further.
Thoroughly entertaining on every level.
I also think the ending was not anticlimactic so long as you look at the story the way Jen sees it from the beginning (and the way Eric comes to see it). Although, I may feel that way since I read the text and the margin notes together as one on the first read. I'm looking forward to continuing to think on this one and delve into some of the mysteries further.
Thoroughly entertaining on every level.
the_sunken_library's review against another edition
5.0
For all the political mayhem, conspiracy theories, hidden messages and codes and riddles, turns out this ingenious book is just a straight forward love story in the end. And you know what? I don't mind one damn bit. I loved it.
This is a story within a story within a story etc:
1) The book itself
2) The book is autobiographical (VM Straka)
3) The secret conversation with the translator and the author (Straka and FXC)
4) The convesation the owner of the book has on its pages (Eric)
5) The first converation Eric has with Jen
6) And then the next
7) And then the next
8) And the final conversation
Absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully executed, and simple in its message. What is important is not always what you do but the relationships that form along the path leading to your choices. More often than not, those relationships are more important.
Are there unanswered questions? Yes! But who cares. It was never about the mystery but about the chance Eric and Jen had to learn from the mistakes of others. Pursuing a quest together rather than seperately and knowing that the experience of being together is more important than actually finding an answer to their questions.
This is a story within a story within a story etc:
1) The book itself
2) The book is autobiographical (VM Straka)
3) The secret conversation with the translator and the author (Straka and FXC)
4) The convesation the owner of the book has on its pages (Eric)
5) The first converation Eric has with Jen
6) And then the next
7) And then the next
8) And the final conversation
Absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully executed, and simple in its message. What is important is not always what you do but the relationships that form along the path leading to your choices. More often than not, those relationships are more important.
Are there unanswered questions? Yes! But who cares. It was never about the mystery but about the chance Eric and Jen had to learn from the mistakes of others. Pursuing a quest together rather than seperately and knowing that the experience of being together is more important than actually finding an answer to their questions.
mmajer's review against another edition
2.0
The concept of this book is wildly creative. It’s absolutely stunning to look at- like an old, worn library book. It was fun to follow along with the mystery, including fun little inserts... until it wasn’t. I don’t mind working a little for the reading experience, but this became downright tedious and quite a feat to finish (it took me years)! After a while I found it difficult to follow along with the story and margin notes, so I kept putting it down. I do think it’s special and I’ve never encountered a book quite like this before, but I just didn’t get along with it as well as others might.
pseyeyy's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have mixed feelings about this one. The book *feels* satisfying to flip through. It even smells like an older library book. I opted to read through the entire thing (annotations included) in one go and didn’t find it too overwhelming given that each “pass” by Jen and Eric is color coded. They break this pattern in a few places (mentions of Eric’s hurt leg in the red/purple pass don’t occur in order, nor does the fallout of Jen’s parents’ visit), but using these events as landmarks helps to ground you as you read.
The “Ship of Theseus” text takes a back seat to the marginalia. It is primarily a vehicle for the meta narrative and wouldn’t stand well alone. I found its themes of identity and choice (etc.) to be on the nose. The surreal elements were fun- especially the implications of time distortion and alternate “realities” for S. and Sola. Despite this, it remains unfortunately plain. I kept trying to find meaningful excerpts to highlight, hoping they’d be relevant to some greater mystery or symbolism, and coming up short. Everything important was already highlighted by Eric or Jen- or laid out directly in the text.
By the mid-late half, Eric and Jen’s discussions of love and the meaning of life become cloying and repetitive. The stalker/arson side plot never goes anywhere. In fact- nothing much goes anywhere at all. You could read the book backwards and the experience would stay the same. I’m left not buying that the stakes were ever really high for Jen and Eric.
As a final side note- I wish that the ciphers solved by Jen were written out away from the footnotes. It’s really hard to ignore the answer spelled out in bold text when you’re trying to collect info from the footnotes before giving it a go yourself.
All that being said- I do recommend reading it if this kind of fiction is your thing! If only for the experience, not necessarily the substance.
I can’t tell if I’m annoyed or not that a genuine answer to this mystery could be “the real V.M. Stratka was the friends we made along the way.”
The “Ship of Theseus” text takes a back seat to the marginalia. It is primarily a vehicle for the meta narrative and wouldn’t stand well alone. I found its themes of identity and choice (etc.) to be on the nose. The surreal elements were fun- especially the implications of time distortion and alternate “realities” for S. and Sola. Despite this, it remains unfortunately plain. I kept trying to find meaningful excerpts to highlight, hoping they’d be relevant to some greater mystery or symbolism, and coming up short. Everything important was already highlighted by Eric or Jen- or laid out directly in the text.
By the mid-late half, Eric and Jen’s discussions of love and the meaning of life become cloying and repetitive. The stalker/arson side plot never goes anywhere. In fact- nothing much goes anywhere at all. You could read the book backwards and the experience would stay the same. I’m left not buying that the stakes were ever really high for Jen and Eric.
As a final side note- I wish that the ciphers solved by Jen were written out away from the footnotes. It’s really hard to ignore the answer spelled out in bold text when you’re trying to collect info from the footnotes before giving it a go yourself.
All that being said- I do recommend reading it if this kind of fiction is your thing! If only for the experience, not necessarily the substance.
okogul's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
confusing as fuck but i love experimental writing
kintsugiulia's review against another edition
5.0
Potrei provare a scrivere una recensione ordinata ma qualunque cosa possa dire non renderà mai abbastanza giustizia al capolavoro che è questo libro. Si vede che dietro a questo lavoro c’è anche l’opera di un regista; non ho mai letto niente di altrettanto complesso o strutturato su più, e così tanti, livelli. S. riesce ad intrecciare bene sia l’aspetto più tradizionalmente scritto che quello visivo: sembra di assistere in tutto e per tutto ad un film, di avere tra le mani il copione di un film… e che film!! Eric e Jen, grazie di avermi accompagnato in questo viaggio. E posso solo che provare ammirazione e un po’ di soggezione nei confronti degli editor e traduttori di questo libro, siete dei mostri (/affect)
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
For fans of House of Leaves and gothic detective mysteries. Enjoyed the snaking tale, but I remember feeling like not all the elements worked. Been a long time since I read it though; I'll try to revisit it this year (2022).
zoepol's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5