Reviews

Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry by Leanne Shapton

laedyred's review

mysterious sad 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

Obviously the method of storytelling is the most intriguing aspect of this book, it's creative and compelling enough. Read in one session. Doolan and Morris' relationship is almost deceivingly boring, but I argue that is the point. This is the story of two people fading from each other despite strong love. There is no clear, stated inciting incident nor clear moment of an affair, betrayal, violence, etc. I appreciate the mystery. However, some objects chosen seem to be truly filler or so unrealistic auction inclusions (a grocery list and personal letter? No.) that it broke the immersion. The ending drifts off with a bit too much anticlimax. It's a novel, short read, but don't expect any new or profound ideas. 

sambowyer's review

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

emlocke's review

4.0

Tenderly voyeuristic, unnervingly retro, objectively intimate.

mrising1's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

codiewood's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

gageofthegoats's review against another edition

challenging lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A truly inventive, organic way of telling a story. It just happens to be a very mundane story. But still a novel process to discover it.

debz57a52's review

4.0

This was such a weird book, but I really loved it.  The description from the publisher is pretty spot-on: this is an auction catalog about all the little memorabilia that two fictional characters, Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, acquired during their love affair.  It starts innocently enough with photos and napkins with handwriting and some articles of clothing, but then the artifacts expand to include books and music and paintings and correspondence, more clothes and shoes and hats, wrappers and cards and figures, even furniture and hotel keys and pressed flowers.  Each photo of an item in the catalog (and a few items that are not illustrated, but described as one of the lots) has a factual description and then usually a connection to Lenore, Harold, or their family or friends.  As I flipped through the pages, I could see their love and their problems, the way both characters' friends and family made space for the other, the little inside jokes and romantic rituals they developed, and even the up and down of their relationship as they fought and got back together.  My husband and I have been together for over 30 years, but this book made me think what artifacts we would have in our auction catalog after only a few years together... and how that would be so different now.  Like The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt and Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, we are looking at how a person can tell a story in non-traditional ways, but with those small moments and items that we all have in our lives.  

jbogerhawkins's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

wholly original

tiedyesunflower's review

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Such a fun and unique way to tell a story.

loosetoothfool's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this was sooooo cool. absolutely loved this. such a creative fascinating unique way to tell a story I'm obsessed. I've always loved photos of random objects so that aspect appealed to me, as well as how these items and letters told the story, how cool. I loved Lenore and hated hal. don't know if that's what I was meant to take away but oh well. its crazy to me that there aren't real people, they seem so real, so fleshed out and their life around them. this would've taken so much work and thought. the photographs of the couple especially are mind blowing to me like how are these not real photos of a real couple??? 
never seen another book like this, I think this is the coolest thing ever