Astonishing the Gods

by Ben Okri
Astonishing the Gods  
published 1999 by Phoenix Press
binding Paperback
isbn 0753808641   (isbn13: 9780753808641)
pages 158
description From the Booker prize-winning author of The Famished Road comes this bewitching novel. It is a modern fable about the relationship between love...more
date added
03-01-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 45)



Picoroco
Picoroco rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/09/08

bookshelves: modern-african-fiction
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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Jim
Jim rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
08/18/07

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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Carrie
Carrie rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
04/29/08

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.
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shuchi
shuchi rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
07/31/07

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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Chris
Chris added it
09/11/07

 

Iphigenia In
Iphigenia In rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
06/15/08

 

Richie
Richie rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/04/08

 

Ennui
Ennui rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
05/06/08

 

Sparlha
Sparlha rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
06/25/07

bookshelves: brilliants, currently-reading
 

Nina
Nina marked it as to-read
11/21/07

bookshelves: to-read
 

Mario
Mario rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
03/25/08

 

Anna
Anna rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
07/18/07

 

Katydidwhat
Katydidwhat marked it as to-read
05/12/08

bookshelves: to-read
 

Fate
Fate rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/18/08

 

Maire
Maire rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
11/16/07

 

Eden
Eden rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/03/07

 

Kathy
Kathy rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/01/07

 

Dave
Dave rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/03/08

 

Ricky
Ricky rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/01/07

 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.62 (34 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.59 (32 ratings)
number of reviews: 4






other editions

Astonishing the Gods (Hardcover)
Astonishing the Gods (Paperback)
Etonner les dieux (Mass Market Paperback)