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Linda P. (Medford, WI)
The Game is Afoot
This was a wonderful read, filled with literary aspirations, childhood remembrances, psychological hi-jinks, with mythological overtones thrown in. This translated novel was a quick read. It was overlaid with sadness, but I really enjoyed it. It was a definite October book. I also love books about books.
Carol T. (Ankeny, IA)
Rabbit Back Literature Society
"Elusive" is the best word to describe this book. Everything about the book is elusive. Nothing is as it first appears - and nothing remains what it seems to have been. Interesting.
Katherine Y. (Albuquerque, NM)
Perhaps a problem in translation
I requested this book thinking I would like because it is a quirky fantasy/mystery and it didn't sound like anything else I'd read. It never quite got me interested though and I'm wondering if that is due to the translation or if I'd have felt the same way reading it in the original. At least in English, I found it dull reading.
Kay K. (Oshkosh, WI)
But Where is Laura White?
This quote from the book sums up this book for me, "It wasn't possible to see an image of the whole person at once, because our point of observation was at one point on the axis of time, and the thing observed was shot through with innumerable points of observation." Changes in Ella's life cause her to re-look at herself, the disappearance of Laura causes her to look at Laura's life, and the mysterious happenings cause the reader to keep reading for a solution. Are the statues of Laura White's creatures really alive? Are they creating the havoc in Rabbit Back? And what did happen to Laura White and the tenth
…more member of the Rabbit Back Literature society.
This book is truly an exercise in seeing things from different angles. As Ella says, "Every day would present a new side to view, and a being that you thought beautiful might suddenly prove unbearably ugly to you." From the strange book virus to the playing of The Game, this book inserts a lot of questions into the readers mind. It kept my interest and I found the author's metaphors intriguing. I was disappointed that the ending didn't answer my questions. One mystery is solved but it only puts more questions into the readers mind. This book leaves the reader unsettled and seeking more answers. For that reason it would be a great book club book. It would certainly spark discussion! I want to know, "Where is Laura White?" (less)Quirky, dark humor kept me interested in this tale. A mix of whimsy and intrigue keep the plot moving along and make it a fun read. There were a few ebbs in the pace --at times I found it hard to sympathize with the main character but in general the twists and turns of this novel are very engaging.
Lori L. (La Porte, IN)
Strange
Usually the weirder the better for me, when it comes to fiction my taste is pretty eclectic. But this one just didn't do it for me. The supernatural elements of the story just never really went anywhere. Someone else described this novel as having a sort of Twin Peaks-like atmosphere, and I think that sums it up nicely. Weird things happen, not sure why, or how they relate to the narrative as a whole. The characters were interesting enough to keep me reading, but overall they weren't people I particularly cared about or wanted to know better. Maybe this story lost something in translation?
AmberBug, shelfnotes.com, CT
Book Lovers and Writers... this books for you.
The plot of this book sounds super intriguing, right? Well, the book IS/WAS but the main character fell entirely flat for me.
My favorite part was how when the Author introduced a new character, each came with a revealing personal trait or story. For example, Ella with her defective ovaries or Winter getting so fat that he loses sight of his Mister Peter. I haven't yet experienced a book or Author that exposes the character right away. It's like imagining the crowd before you naked or maybe this is how it feels to be a part of a support group. The style is unique and I liked how the Author also embraced this
…more concept and embellished upon it with the societies "game".
Overall, this book had some interesting style to it. This might be attributed to the cultural differences between Finland and the United States, as I haven't picked up many Finnish books or maybe this is truly a style the Author is known for.
The book also focuses on one of my favorite concepts about art, that we create the best art when suffering and emotional, not when life is perfect. I can't knock any book that delves into that topic, but that's my personal opinion. This will be a book I'll recommend to any writer and maybe even some book lovers. (less)The premise was intriguing and the story was full of mystery and magical happenings. I was disappointed that three story lines were never concluded in any way. I enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere the writing invoked. I would recommend this to Harry Potter fans and any reader who enjoys books in far away locales.
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