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juushikaTitle: The Man on the Ceiling
Author: Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem
Published: Renton: Wizards of the Coast, 2008
Rating: 1 of 5
Page Count: 202 of 366
Total Page Count: 66,112
Text Number: 190
Read For: recommended by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
calico_reaction, checked out from the library
Short review: Expanded from their novella of the same name, the Tems combine memoir, magic, and family myth in order to describe their household—in particular, the aftermath of their's son's death. I have not read the original novella, and was unable to finish this book: my review is based on the first 200 pages and the factors that made me close the book for good. This novel is a collection of thoughts and memories both real and imagined, unaided by plot. Without a plot, the writing is slow and unfocused. The novel tells, but does not show, and the absence of stories contradicts the novel's premise and makes for a dry, unconvincing book. I tried to enjoy this novel, but did not, and I have no desire to complete it. I don't recommend it.
The Man on the Ceiling is a rambling slew of thoughts and fragmentary memories without a plot to guide them. It is part factual and part imagined, but the difference between the two is intended to be immaterial because, as the Tems continually repeat, everything in the book is true, regardless of its accuracy. This concept intrigued me, and I enjoy books which break down predictable writing formulae—but I found The Man on the Ceiling unreadable. To be more accurate, the book is readable: the language is straight forward and, though the alternating speakers becomes confusing, the text is easy to follow. However, without anything resembling a plot, the book lacks direction and the reader is never compelled to continue. Worst of all, for all that the Tems talk about telling stories to create the truth, they do remarkably little storytelling. The stories are infrequent, brief, and plainly penned; thoughts and theories and explanations are much more common. More often than not, stories are cut short to explain what they "mean." This is a book of telling, and very little showing.
And that, ultimately, is why I gave up on it. I read 200 pages, pushing through despite the absence of a plot, hoping that something would intrigue me. The reading was slow: I was never eager to get to the next page, and each time I put the book down I had no desire to pick it back up. At the 200 page mark, a brief, largely summarized story concludes "...he was screaming because he understood how alone he was..." (202, emphasis mine), and I admitted to myself that the book would continue, undirected by plot, telling but not showing, and that I had no interest in continuing with it. Does the novel make a miraculous improvement in the final 150 pages? I don't know, but even if it does, 200 pages it too long to wait to see it.
I picked up this book on the basis of a reader's glowing review, and so it feels strange to report that I dislike the book too much to complete it. Judging by the Amazon reviews, readers are split between those who love the book and those who hate it. As such, the interested reader may still want to pick up this novel—in case they're one of the first group. Personally, I was entirely disappointed by The Man on the Ceiling. The prose is readable, and the concept is promising, but the execution fails entirely. A full novel's length is too long for a book to continue without some direction or forward movement; above all, a book about stories and truths must contain stories, and The Man on the Ceiling does not. I couldn't bring myself to finish this book, and I don't recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Steve Rasnic Tem and Melanie Tem
Published: Renton: Wizards of the Coast, 2008
Rating: 1 of 5
Page Count: 202 of 366
Total Page Count: 66,112
Text Number: 190
Read For: recommended by
calico_reaction, checked out from the libraryShort review: Expanded from their novella of the same name, the Tems combine memoir, magic, and family myth in order to describe their household—in particular, the aftermath of their's son's death. I have not read the original novella, and was unable to finish this book: my review is based on the first 200 pages and the factors that made me close the book for good. This novel is a collection of thoughts and memories both real and imagined, unaided by plot. Without a plot, the writing is slow and unfocused. The novel tells, but does not show, and the absence of stories contradicts the novel's premise and makes for a dry, unconvincing book. I tried to enjoy this novel, but did not, and I have no desire to complete it. I don't recommend it.
The Man on the Ceiling is a rambling slew of thoughts and fragmentary memories without a plot to guide them. It is part factual and part imagined, but the difference between the two is intended to be immaterial because, as the Tems continually repeat, everything in the book is true, regardless of its accuracy. This concept intrigued me, and I enjoy books which break down predictable writing formulae—but I found The Man on the Ceiling unreadable. To be more accurate, the book is readable: the language is straight forward and, though the alternating speakers becomes confusing, the text is easy to follow. However, without anything resembling a plot, the book lacks direction and the reader is never compelled to continue. Worst of all, for all that the Tems talk about telling stories to create the truth, they do remarkably little storytelling. The stories are infrequent, brief, and plainly penned; thoughts and theories and explanations are much more common. More often than not, stories are cut short to explain what they "mean." This is a book of telling, and very little showing.
And that, ultimately, is why I gave up on it. I read 200 pages, pushing through despite the absence of a plot, hoping that something would intrigue me. The reading was slow: I was never eager to get to the next page, and each time I put the book down I had no desire to pick it back up. At the 200 page mark, a brief, largely summarized story concludes "...he was screaming because he understood how alone he was..." (202, emphasis mine), and I admitted to myself that the book would continue, undirected by plot, telling but not showing, and that I had no interest in continuing with it. Does the novel make a miraculous improvement in the final 150 pages? I don't know, but even if it does, 200 pages it too long to wait to see it.
I picked up this book on the basis of a reader's glowing review, and so it feels strange to report that I dislike the book too much to complete it. Judging by the Amazon reviews, readers are split between those who love the book and those who hate it. As such, the interested reader may still want to pick up this novel—in case they're one of the first group. Personally, I was entirely disappointed by The Man on the Ceiling. The prose is readable, and the concept is promising, but the execution fails entirely. A full novel's length is too long for a book to continue without some direction or forward movement; above all, a book about stories and truths must contain stories, and The Man on the Ceiling does not. I couldn't bring myself to finish this book, and I don't recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
