Books, books, books

[tarigwaemir]

Ad Mundo Exteriore,

Took out a book by Kazuo Ishiguro from the library. It's about a butler...and basically that's all I know, unless I quote from the blurb on the back, which isn't very helpful. From what I've read, it sounds interesting and, well, Ishiguro-esque. Ishiguro-ish? Making up words here...someone help...

This LJ is turning into a bit of reading log, neh? Can't be helped. Whenever I'm in the vicinity of a library (namely every day except Sunday) I end up taking out a book.

What's cool and disturbing about Ishiguro's When We Were Orphans (another book, which I read during the summer) is that he gradually leads the reader into more and more unbelievable events until we're forced to doubt the narrator's ability to tell the truth, or rather, realize the layers of self-delusion and deception that clouds the narrator's own vision, consequently our own. Rather nice, considering how we usually trust even first-person narrative to be reliable, and to have that turn completely upside-down is a very upsetting experience. I have the feeling that this book (whose exact title I keep forgetting, something to do with "years") is going to be similar, though we never know now, do we?

I should stop before I plunge into another several page long pseudo-essay on random subjects. I just wanted to comment that the horrible Wedding Fic Opus from this afternoon left me craving fanfiction that won't burn my eyes as that one did. Off to fanfiction.net while pretending to "download my math homework problems." Hehehe...

...Tari

Post-script: Oh, and Neil Gaiman is apparently working on a movie. Not Good Omens. Someone has apparently recommended Robin Williams to play Aziraphale (a fan, thankfully, not someone with clout). Ew! Isn't that awful?

Comments

[tryogeru.livejournal.com]

Ack! That's almost as bad as this site that wanted Robin Williams as Remus Lupin. I say almost as bad purely because they wanted Sean Connery, Gene Wilder, and Liam Neeson as other choices.

The tearing, splashing sounds you just heard is from the dagger o' EVIL that just stabbed me repeatedly in what's left of my heart.

O.o

[team7.livejournal.com]

Hi Tari!

Re: "When We Were Orphans" -- also, another interesting thing about the book is that the main character is a detective, or claims he is. Seeing that the Detective in English literature -- that is after WW II: Sayers, Christie, etc -- usually works within a self-contained, abstract, rarefied context, so mysteries, murders become something like crossword puzzles. And then here we have Christopher, who sees himself in this context, who works from the assumptions of the English Mystery, and Ishiguro drags him to the Real World. From a cardboard to a labyrinth, I guess.

I'm not sure if it's deliberate though.

By the way, interesting review of "Possession" XD Should reply to that as well, if you won't mind the pseudo-wankings.

Re:

[troisroyaumes]

That's really interesting--didn't see it that way before. I haven't read too many post-WWII English detective stories, so I never really connected it to that "tradition." But remembering what I do of Christie, I think you're right.

And please do go ahead with commenting on any of my attempts at literary musings. I'm certain that I missed at least half of the important subtext in Posession, so it'll be really nice to hear what you thought of it. ^_^

...Tari