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tregina's review against another edition
4.0
I first read this in, I think, 2003, when a friend challenged me to work within just a couple of the constraints that the author imposes on himself here. It blew my mind. An exercise in severe formalist restrictions, it is a remarkable achievement both technically and artistically.
Usually when I reread a book, especially one I've read more than once before, it goes much more quickly. This one I read more slowly each time, savouring the way the language fits together and reading passages aloud (something I almost never do) to really get the different sounds each vowel can make and to find the rhythm and cadence of the phrasing.
I also need to praise the design and typesetting of the book, sensitive to the way in which the average reader would process this dense, unusual construction and restricting itself to manageable pieces so that it could be savoured and not just lost in a daze.
Usually when I reread a book, especially one I've read more than once before, it goes much more quickly. This one I read more slowly each time, savouring the way the language fits together and reading passages aloud (something I almost never do) to really get the different sounds each vowel can make and to find the rhythm and cadence of the phrasing.
I also need to praise the design and typesetting of the book, sensitive to the way in which the average reader would process this dense, unusual construction and restricting itself to manageable pieces so that it could be savoured and not just lost in a daze.
ktkatp's review against another edition
1.0
Eh. It was an interesting take. Not an interesting read. Far from the best poetry. Nothing gained from this other than completed tbr
lindseythelibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
1.0
I can appreciate the attempt, but this is not my kind of book.
poisoncaprisun's review against another edition
2.0
i probably should have treated this like the poetry book it is and given it more consideration but I wanted a quick read and this was the victim on the shelf. i guess I understand the motivation of using only one vowel but I feel like I could have written some of this stuff in a couple minutes or hours. seven years is kind of embarrassing lol... read like a high school creative writing warm up. nothing was said besides 'look what I can do' and 'i like fitting porn references everywhere I can'
also switching to another language is not clever and worldly its CHEATING
also switching to another language is not clever and worldly its CHEATING
sarpdem's review against another edition
1.0
Can see why it’s impressive (strict constraints) but doesn’t have that emotional pizzaz I’m looking for, sadly.
library_of_al's review
fast-paced
2.5
It had an interesting concept, but wasn’t what I expected. I thought this book would be a novel having a single coherent story, instead it’s a poem or rather 5 poems showing off the idea. That might be cool in it’s own regards and I appreciate all the time and research that must of gone into a book like this, I just wish it was executed differently, but it’s a quick read and only took me like 2 hours including time to read all the extra writings and the explanation included in my copy of the book, which I enjoyed more than the poem itself unfortunately.
ellianajenness's review against another edition
2.0
*Rounded up to 2 1/2 stars*
This book isn’t for everyone, I barely got through it. But there is something to be appreciated about it — Bök’s genius idea, skill, and technique is something to be not just appreciated, but cherished, studied and praised. What a cool idea he had for this book, I wish I came up with it first (I also wish more writers had his same level of creativity.)
This book isn’t for everyone, I barely got through it. But there is something to be appreciated about it — Bök’s genius idea, skill, and technique is something to be not just appreciated, but cherished, studied and praised. What a cool idea he had for this book, I wish I came up with it first (I also wish more writers had his same level of creativity.)
yc0210's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.25
A ton of style, a surprising amount of substance, mind boggling conceit and execution
hemloc's review against another edition
2.0
Two reasons to read Eunoia:
1) The self-imposed limitation of writing univocalic chapters is impressive beyond words. I can't imagine the effort that must have gone into writing this book.
2) Many pages have the odd rhythm and senseless sensefulness of poetry.
Four drawbacks to Eunoia:
1) Asking for a cohesive narrative may be too much given the single-vowel constraint, but this book lacks purpose beyond showing off its chosen technique. The process is what matters, not the end result, so there's no substance to the stories, nothing to think about other than the headache caused by the repeated vowels (the A and U chapters are particularly painful).
2) Certain chapters are more pleasant than others (the E chapter), but even it becomes repetitive after a few pages and the lack of meaningful content invites diagonal reading.
3) The I chapter – although it happens elsewhere also – is full of the author tooting his own horn, congratulating his cleverness, and insulting critics. Modesty may not be required if you've spent seven years of your life working on something this demanding and complex, but it wouldn't hurt.
4) The author returns to sex a lot, in a way that is gratuitous, self-indulgent, and often gross.
1) The self-imposed limitation of writing univocalic chapters is impressive beyond words. I can't imagine the effort that must have gone into writing this book.
2) Many pages have the odd rhythm and senseless sensefulness of poetry.
Four drawbacks to Eunoia:
1) Asking for a cohesive narrative may be too much given the single-vowel constraint, but this book lacks purpose beyond showing off its chosen technique. The process is what matters, not the end result, so there's no substance to the stories, nothing to think about other than the headache caused by the repeated vowels (the A and U chapters are particularly painful).
2) Certain chapters are more pleasant than others (the E chapter), but even it becomes repetitive after a few pages and the lack of meaningful content invites diagonal reading.
3) The I chapter – although it happens elsewhere also – is full of the author tooting his own horn, congratulating his cleverness, and insulting critics. Modesty may not be required if you've spent seven years of your life working on something this demanding and complex, but it wouldn't hurt.
4) The author returns to sex a lot, in a way that is gratuitous, self-indulgent, and often gross.