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81st out of 101 books
—
90 voters
The Failure Six
by
Shane Jones (Goodreads Author)
A modern fable set in a society that has come to favor written messages over talking. A young woman named Foe has lost her memory and six messengers who attempt to recite her past back to her inevitably - and creatively - fail. Parts Kafka, Lewis Carroll, and Aesop, the imagistic allegory warns that in a culture of texting, email, and Twitter, we can't forsake real convers...more
Paperback, 110 pages
Published
January 12th 2010
by Fugue State Press
(first published January 2010)
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From the very first pages, for mysterious reasons, I felt like I was reading a story set in the world of Mateusz Skutnik's
Daymare Town
. And when I reached the description of DH with his black coat, black hat, etc. -- and he sounded so much like the mysterious lurking fellows in Skutnik's game -- the connection became stronger if still coincidental. Like a game, though, The Failure Six feels totally self-contained and seems to be playing by its own rules, which made the world of the story vivid...more
I found a bit in this book that I think really sums up shane jones but it's from the end. I don't think it spoils anything but just in case: (view spoiler)
now people who didn't read that will have to go read the entire book to figure out what they missed.
This is a nice book it has the whimsy factor that was in Light Boxes...more
now people who didn't read that will have to go read the entire book to figure out what they missed.
This is a nice book it has the whimsy factor that was in Light Boxes...more
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I liked it. I think. I may grow to like it more; or not. This is one I will have to mull over for a while. Damn strange imagery has had me sketching revolvers and foxes and men w/ mustaches for half the day, however, so I suppose there is something to it that sticks with me. But I found the strange story much more compelling than the writing, which struck me as too simplistic much of the time. I do wish there were a few more reviews of the book on here, rather than a bunch of effusive 5 stars w/...more
What a wonderful book. A very quick read, with tonally-perfect illustrations. It has a sort of Brazil feeling (the movie not the country) to it, though you can definitely tell it's written by the author of Light Boxes. I think I still like Light Boxes better, but maybe only because I read it first, or because it's longer. Either way, both are delightful and I guess this is going to be one of those reviews where I use lots of superlatives but don't actually say much about the thing.
i liked this a lot! it made more sense than light boxes (not sure which one i like more at this point). although i don't really see why times new roman was sometimes used. also great cover.
also it's strange but the teahouse part made me think of spirited away. i guess they were strange in the same way at that moment.
"I told him that to get out of nightmares I have to shoot myself and he said that he already knew that. He said everyone had to do that."
also it's strange but the teahouse part made me think of spirited away. i guess they were strange in the same way at that moment.
"I told him that to get out of nightmares I have to shoot myself and he said that he already knew that. He said everyone had to do that."
I am a definite fan of the imagery and mood that Jones evokes. This book is definitely in the same conceptual realm as LIGHT BOXES: words have become meaningless off the page, and only on the page can they serve to construct reality. It is this (de)construction of reality via words/ stories in Jones' work that I am most intrigued by. Comparisons are never fair, but I did like this a lot better than LIGHT BOXES. With Jones, I feel like I am always left wanting more (maybe that's the genius of the...more
I feel really lucky that I got to read this book early.
I'm an early adopter.
By that I mean, I'd like to adopt it, and get a car seat, and buckle it in, and drive all over town, saying encouragey nonsensical things to it. It's that good.
I'm an early adopter.
By that I mean, I'd like to adopt it, and get a car seat, and buckle it in, and drive all over town, saying encouragey nonsensical things to it. It's that good.
The Failure Six failed me. I realize this isn't Light Boxes, but I feel like the plot wasn't executed as well in this book. I like the idea and there were some cool passages, but nothing I wanted to underline, re-read, or go back to.
i liked this book a lot. i like the use of the words 'gold doubloons'. at one point in this book there is mention of a book by lewis carroll. the name of the book was not mentioned. i felt surprised by this. five star book.
Light Boxes was so good that I gave this a better rating even though I didn't really like it all that much.
This little book really excited me it was so much fun! Wonderfully creative writing; very dreamlike and mysterious. Jones excels at surprising the reader with just about every sentence that comes along. Five stars!
The worst book of the year, by far. There should be a The Failure Seven and this book would be it. I kept reading section after section thinking "this might be the worst book I've ever read" and then I got to the ending (which there isn't, it just stops) and I said to myself "Yes, this is the worst." Self indulgent, precious, no talent for plot or narrative arc, unlikeable characters, and just an overall sense that Jones doesn't care about his readers, who I imagine are maybe twenty people? Goin...more
very odd little book, like being trapped in a nightmare
Jun 10, 2009
Adam
marked it as to-read
I can't wait.
jesus christ.
Charming. Frightening.
a quick and cryptic little dream.
I won this book on First-reads, I cant wait to recieve it
I think I have to read this one again. Very Stanley Kubrickesq. The concept is brilliant but it scared me. I didn't feel safe but I couldn't put it down either. I felt as though I was being dragged down a tunnel that emptied out into nowhere. Shane has an amazing mind and will only continue to wow us with his imagination.
I really don't know what to say about this one. And after reading it again...I'll leave it at that. Really excited for his next book, though.
Bhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmm.
"OH, this book's really good."
Bbbhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
"Read it."
"OH, this book's really good."
Bbbhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
"Read it."
Shane is perfect, I want him to marry me.
unbearably excited.
May 19, 2013
Olga
marked it as to-read
May 13, 2013
Ashley
marked it as to-read
May 07, 2013
Juan Herrera
marked it as to-read
Apr 30, 2013
Sabrina
marked it as to-read
Apr 22, 2013
tnckx
marked it as to-read
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