Astonishing the Gods
by Ben Okri
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Read in May, 2008
This is more of an extended short story than a novel. A young, unidentified man leaves his home country on a quest, arrives at a fabulous island, meets three different enigmatic guides and undergoes a series of abstract and allegorical trials. Senses shift and meld, silences become perfumed, frescoes sing and grand orations are applauded with no sound. The writing is poetic and sensuous but I am not entirely sure that I got the point of it all. I think I will give Okri's other novels a go first ...more
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Read in January, 2003
recommends it for:
People who like their fiction a little magical.
I wanted to like this more. The book follows one man's search for visibility on a mystical island and it's easy to read allegorically. It is well written and I can't say it has put me off Okri but I guess I never really took the journey with the boy.
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recommends it for:
masochists
I was torn between putting it down half-read and struggling through to the end. I yelled out loud to the author more than once during the read: For god's sake, get to the point!
Don't waste your time unless you are a masochist.
Don't waste your time unless you are a masochist.
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Read in December, 2005
recommends it for:
those who like veer..y.. sl..ow.. boo...ks
Very slow. Hated it. Left it halfway. Might try reading it again.
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