Mohamed AR will be an author I keep my eye on. With a little bit more experience writing prose, buildI want to give this book more stars. I really do.
Mohamed AR will be an author I keep my eye on. With a little bit more experience writing prose, building characters and setting out a story, I think he'll do very well as a writer.
This book is the story of Steven, a young college initiate who travels into the forest to escape his mundane life. He meets a witch who sends him to another world where he meets a story-telling dwarf, Grimdin, and immediately decides he needs to get home again.
The language in this book is a little disjointed and was the reason I had to stop reading. It just didn't flow naturally. It seemed to miss the restfull cadence of well-written prose and instead had to settle for being jagged and awkward.
It's a bit like reading those text books for learning another language.
Today is the monkey's wedding.
What will I buy the monkey for its wedding?
The monkey bride has a funny dress.
the monkey bride is pregnant with the demon spawn.
[image] I swear, those language textbook writers are either crazy, bored, drugged or trying to freak me the hell out.
By the way, I totally dare Manny to translate all of the italized text into French or Swedish (no help from your wife!)
Okay, so back to the point. Sure, all the language is there and it's all TECHNICALLY correct English, but it's weird. It doesn't flow. It mashes. Prose need to flow, they need to have rhythm, style and beauty. Each word in every sentence needs to sound right next to the other words and the sentences as a whole must work together to create easy and pleasurable reading.
Mohamed AR will be an excellent author with a little more practise, study and experience in the art of story-telling. But then again, Shakespeare's first work, The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a far cry from the chilling storytelling of MacBeth or the prose of Romeo and Juliet. So as I said earlier, despite my criticsm and the fact that I couldn't quite finish this book, I will keep an eye on him for future published works. He has a whimsy about his narrative that I did find quite romantic....more
Dave Franklin can actually write. In fact, he infuses a great deal of personality and energy into every sentence and so I'm actually sad that I had toDave Franklin can actually write. In fact, he infuses a great deal of personality and energy into every sentence and so I'm actually sad that I had to give Girls Like Funny Boys only a two star rating.
Even Franklin's abilities can't save the story from being a wirlpool of groan.
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The biggest problem is that Franklin wants you to know that this is Australian in the 1980's AND HE WON'T EVER LET YOU FORGET IT. In fact, there was a reference to either the location or the time period in almost every second sentence. From the name dropping of bands, to hair styles, clothing styles, cars and the painful rendition of the Australian accent and slang, to the Aussie locations and pubs used in the novel. It felt like Franklin was screaming in my face: "THIS IS AUSTRALIA IN 1986!!!!!! WOOOOOOT!!!!!"
The main character, whilst crying and sniffling over his poor dead dog was also drunkenly molesting a young woman at a party. Then he'd cry about his dog somemore. Then he'd think about sex. Then he'd whack off to a porn video.
He kind of lost me very quickly. I know we're exploring adolescents here but strangely I wasn't in the moood for reading a dude making tissue babies to a graphic porn movie. You can leave SOME mystery to your character, you know. I mean, I've got quite a few Goodreads friends and followers who I almost NEVER update about my sex life. Yet strangely they still read my reviews.
Wait, SHOULD I be adding saucy details about intimate moments here? Will this get me more readers? Will I then be considered 'gritty' and 'real'?
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Maybe not...
I think this book had a good concept and Dave Franklin has a natural craft with words but I think he had a great deal of difficulty bringing the concept into a readable and enjoyable story. ...more
"'My fear is that I won't ever get another acting job, and the reality is that I probably won't, seeing as nintey-nine percent of actors are unemploye"'My fear is that I won't ever get another acting job, and the reality is that I probably won't, seeing as nintey-nine percent of actors are unemployed.'
'Okay, you have completely misunderstood the exercise,' Robin says with a passive-aggressive smile, flicking her frizzy hair out of her face.
'Oh. Which bit did I get wrong?'
'Under your reality column: it's still your fears talking, not an objective look at the reality of the situation.'
'So I got the reality bit wrong?'
'Why don't we ask the class? What do you think guys? Did Sunny get the reality bit wrong?'
Everyone says 'yes'.
'What is the reality then?' I ask.
'That, yes, you will get your dream acting job.'"
I never quote from a book in reviews but that scene was just so classic! So poor Aussie actress, Sunny, is in LA looking to make it big.
I should start out by mentioning that I am not this book's target audience. I usually don't read contemporary fiction unless it's paranormal/urban fantasy, sci-fi, fantasy based.
This kind of chic lit doesn't usually appeal to me. Let's just say that I would never have voluntarily picked this book up. I won it a giveaway for First Reads and I'm actually really glad it did.
You know what? I HOPE Katie Wall does well with this novel. I hope she writes more. She is apparently an Australian actress but I had never heard of her nor had I ever seen anything she's been in. However, I really enjoyed this book.
It could have been better edited. It could have been cleaned up a little, but you know what, I don't care about that for this book. Not really (keep in mind I am a copy-editor! Damn, what's happening to me?)
It's just that Sunny is so unbelievable adorable and real. Seriously. She uses the word "wee" and she tells a story about public urination to a room full of strangers while at a casting audition.
Problem? I don't think Americans are going to like this book. I hope they do. I hope they don't take offense. Problem is that I don't see how they won't when there is very little positive light given to American and Australia is held up as the glorious promise land to be returned to for health and restoration.
I've spent a lot of time with Americans. They pretty much populated my school in Jakarta growing up - so I know not to pull out my sarcasm unless they know me well. I know to be positive and encouraging and never to accuse someone of being "such a bitch!" while laughing, something you're likely to be called often in Australia and with absolutely no menace behind it.
However, this book isn't about NORMAL Americans and that's why they come off in such a bad light here. This book is about the Americans that other Americans make fun of - THOSE Americans. The ones that inhabit certain parts of LA.
So, back to a proper review - Characters are fantastic - except for Albert who is the supplemental father figure. He will probably remind readers far too strongly of Arthur from The Holiday as your quintessential elderly father figure. Similarities are that both Sunny and… what’s her face, Kate’s character are both expats in LA. Arthur and Albert are both old, fragile widowers who previously worked as writers in the movie industry. Both are sweet, lovable old guys who provide much needed whimsical advice. Difference? Arthur felt real. Albert never felt real to me.
Other than that, this story is honest, self-deprecating, sweet, soulful and souldbaring. Maybe I’m softening in my old age (I’m practically saving up for a Zimmer frame and investigating kidney dialysis here) but I actually enjoyed reading this book a lot.
Kudos to Katie Wall on her debut novel!
Oh - forgot to add - casual drug use! Naughty, naughty Wall! *Shakes head in disapproval*...more
Kat Kennedy
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