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foofers1622's review
5.0
Wow..they weren't kidding when they put this on the list of 1001 books to read before you die. I never wanted a fictional charcter to be more real then Hector Mann. The style of Auster's writing is what sucked me in. I felt like David Zimmer was sitting across from me the whole time retelling his story. Can't wait to read it again a few years down the road.
Merged review:
Wow..they weren't kidding when they put this on the list of 1001 books to read before you die. I never wanted a fictional charcter to be more real then Hector Mann. The style of Auster's writing is what sucked me in. I felt like David Zimmer was sitting across from me the whole time retelling his story. Can't wait to read it again a few years down the road.
Merged review:
Wow..they weren't kidding when they put this on the list of 1001 books to read before you die. I never wanted a fictional charcter to be more real then Hector Mann. The style of Auster's writing is what sucked me in. I felt like David Zimmer was sitting across from me the whole time retelling his story. Can't wait to read it again a few years down the road.
juliasilge's review
3.0
Silent film, mystery, family tragedy-- a unique story that I enjoyed quite well. I really liked the setting for part of the story in early Hollywood, and the destruction of film/story/art moved me.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
4.0
A man becomes obsessed with a silent film star and begins a quest to find out everything about him. Suddenly his investigations uncover some strange secrets.
It's a typical Paul Auster novel in fact the following novel Oracle Night repeats most of the themes but does it matter? no. A Paul Auster novel is always a gem to read.
It's a typical Paul Auster novel in fact the following novel Oracle Night repeats most of the themes but does it matter? no. A Paul Auster novel is always a gem to read.
mikelchartier's review
4.0
Not a bad outing, the better of his books in a while (such as my experience tells me). I'm still not sure why I keep reading Auster, often times I think he hasn't thought his entire plot through enough to create a palpably realized narration, but this time was a much better attempt.
David Zimmer and his reality of Hector Mann/Spelling is a furtive revelation of, ultimately,zero little consequence yet struck me in the moment as being some of Auster's best pieces of work, especially in prose. This was much more eloquent and thoroughly entertaining than, say, Man in the Dark - which was an utter disappointment on so many levels. And with this, I'm sure I'll continue my benign quest of reading Paul Auster at least once more.
David Zimmer and his reality of Hector Mann/Spelling is a furtive revelation of, ultimately,
pathphinder's review
3.0
A masterpiece... I don't think I can call it a masterpiece. It has some sparks here and there but that is it.
To me it was an average, if not a boring book for the most of it.
To me it was an average, if not a boring book for the most of it.
harvio's review
3.0
- from the jacket: "Six months after losing his wife and two young sons in an airplane crash, Vermont professor David Zimmer spends his waking hours in a blur of alcoholic grief and self-pity. Then, watching television one night, he stumbles upon a clip from a lost film by the silent comedian Hector Mann. Zimmer's interest is piqued, and he soon finds himself embarking on a journey around the world to study the works of this mysterious figure, who vanished from sight in 1929."
- I reluctantly tried this novel to humour my favourite librarian (the plot would never have tempted me otherwise...not the life of a fictitious silent comedian, please...) but it was fairly well written.
- the lack of quotation marks did take some getting used to
Merged review:
- from the jacket: "Six months after losing his wife and two young sons in an airplane crash, Vermont professor David Zimmer spends his waking hours in a blur of alcoholic grief and self-pity. Then, watching television one night, he stumbles upon a clip from a lost film by the silent comedian Hector Mann. Zimmer's interest is piqued, and he soon finds himself embarking on a journey around the world to study the works of this mysterious figure, who vanished from sight in 1929."
- I reluctantly tried this novel to humour my favourite librarian (the plot would never have tempted me otherwise...not the life of a fictitious silent comedian, please...) but it was fairly well written.
- the lack of quotation marks did take some getting used to
- I reluctantly tried this novel to humour my favourite librarian (the plot would never have tempted me otherwise...not the life of a fictitious silent comedian, please...) but it was fairly well written.
- the lack of quotation marks did take some getting used to
Merged review:
- from the jacket: "Six months after losing his wife and two young sons in an airplane crash, Vermont professor David Zimmer spends his waking hours in a blur of alcoholic grief and self-pity. Then, watching television one night, he stumbles upon a clip from a lost film by the silent comedian Hector Mann. Zimmer's interest is piqued, and he soon finds himself embarking on a journey around the world to study the works of this mysterious figure, who vanished from sight in 1929."
- I reluctantly tried this novel to humour my favourite librarian (the plot would never have tempted me otherwise...not the life of a fictitious silent comedian, please...) but it was fairly well written.
- the lack of quotation marks did take some getting used to
yodisborg's review against another edition
3.0
For a novel with a small cast of characters in a simple plot, it reads more like a series of short stories than a novel. It devotes 30-50 pages to telling one story and then frames it for a few pages until telling another story. The writing is serviceable but the focus is pulled too far back such that some of the tension is dissolved. The mysterious actor at the center of the story is fascinating and wished we spent more time with him than the protagonist whose grief and his handling of it are not as interesting as other things in the book.
lionessinnc's review against another edition
I couldn't get through this book. The details were dull and droning. I tried very hard to keep reading then eventually gave up. Realized it was excruciating instead of enjoyable or even interesting. I didn't get it and gave up about midway through.
raquel_rm's review
2.0
(First of all, English is not my first language, so excuse any errors)
I had to read this book for one of my classes so, from the start, I knew it wasn't my type of book.
What I liked:
-the vivid and detailed movie descriptions: I had to remember myself that they did not really exist and that I couldn't check it out.
- Hector's character. Honestly, I wanted to skip the actual main character's story and just learn more about Hector.
- the writing. Again, English is not my first language so I can't really say much, but I didn't dislike it. Sometimes it was tiresome, but I guess that could be because of the "language barrier".
What I didn't like:
- the romance: I didn't care for it. It was fueled by grief, lust and loneliness, which in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing about the book, it just wasn't my style.
- the main character/narrator: I have to admit that I did want him to be happy, but I think it was more because I pitied him than because I cared for him. Either way, I guess I did feel something about him, which it's better than being apathetic towards a character.
- the ending: I personally didn't like it. I get not every book can have a 100% happy ending but the ending made me more frustrated than anything else. I guess the story is more about the journey, but even that felt useless in the end.
I had to read this book for one of my classes so, from the start, I knew it wasn't my type of book.
What I liked:
-the vivid and detailed movie descriptions: I had to remember myself that they did not really exist and that I couldn't check it out.
- Hector's character. Honestly, I wanted to skip the actual main character's story and just learn more about Hector.
- the writing. Again, English is not my first language so I can't really say much, but I didn't dislike it. Sometimes it was tiresome, but I guess that could be because of the "language barrier".
What I didn't like:
- the romance: I didn't care for it. It was fueled by grief, lust and loneliness, which in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing about the book, it just wasn't my style.
- the main character/narrator: I have to admit that I did want him to be happy, but I think it was more because I pitied him than because I cared for him. Either way, I guess I did feel something about him, which it's better than being apathetic towards a character.
- the ending: I personally didn't like it. I get not every book can have a 100% happy ending but the ending made me more frustrated than anything else. I guess the story is more about the journey, but even that felt useless in the end.