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dilemmag's review
3.0
Pretty silly, up for very wide interpretation, I’m glad it wasn’t any longer. More than anything it inspired me to expand my vocabulary
meganmustachebeard's review
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sunflowerduck's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tinyjet's review
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
trin's review
3.0
Events on the fictional island of Nollop cause the letters of the alphabet--both in written and spoken form--to progressively become banned. Told in the epistolary form, this novel is at times too clever and cutesy with its concept, but the language play is fun and the darker undercurrents and rebel spirit of the book are much appreciated. A quick, fun read for those fond of that certain quick, brown fox.
benfranke's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
booklywookly's review
4.0
In the 90s, polycarbonate luggage used to come with a set of stickers - alphabets, twice each - for you to mark it with your name or initials. And you would always wish for an extra A, or substitute an S with a Z, or hope to deceive the system by using l for I (hehe). This book made me think of that for no reason. It could have made me think of scrabble, another perfectly applicable, and pretty obvious alphabets related non literary analogy, but, nah. Oh well.
Set on the fictional island nation of Nollop, named after Nevin Nollop, the author of the famous pangram: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” This sentence is preserved on a memorial statue to its creator and is taken very seriously by the island’s government.
However, one day, the letter Z tile falls from the inscription beneath the statue. Instead of acknowledging the glue adhering the tile to the statue having finally given up after a 100 years of holding it together, a section of islanders powered by High Council claims that Nollop is speaking to them from his place of eternal rest through the manipulation of tile upon his cenotaph.
The interpretation of this message from beyond being - The fallen alphabet is to be banned. And any usage of the forbidden alphabet be severely punished. And Z isn’t the only tile that falls off. One by one, other alphabets also go missing. Missing from the statue, missing (banned) from the island’s vocabulary, as the island’s high council becomes increasingly nonsensical, promoting Nollop to a divine status.
Though a quick read, I admire and tip my hat to Mark Dunn. Writing a whole book with a progressively high demanding lipogrammatical limitation on oneself is one hell of an effort. Pure linguistic acrobatics.
The island’s struggle for freedom of expression against an increasingly obtuse and oppressive regime makes this novel both hilarious and moving. And reminds me a lot of my time spent reading and enjoying NoViolet Bulawayo’s Glory. I think I like acerbic and not at all subtle yet hilarious political satire on censorship and totalitarianism. Looks like I finally need to read 1984.