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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101334.Remainder?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Remainder" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1171477621m/101334.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101334.Remainder?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Remainder</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/30757.Tom_McCarthy">Tom McCarthy</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3619837?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 3 of 5 stars The main character in Remainder must "remap" his brain in order to do the most simple tasks. Basic things like walking and eating must be reduced to step by step directions. Craving what he considers to be fluid and natural moments he begins to seek out perfection of action. In order to achieve these moments he begins to recreate very ordinary everyday events. These recreactions are accomplished by using the money awarded to him because of an accident he only just remembers having. 
 
 Tom McCarthy uses the main character (who remains nameless) to narrate his own story. Using the viewpoint of the main character allows you to "live" inside of his head..a place that becomes a more and more uncomfortable place to be.
 
 I recommend this book to anyone who is comfortable taking a journey inside the mind of someone whose obsessions make his mind a truly terrifying place to be.
 
 I can't say that I so much enjoyed the story as I enjoyed the way it was written. There will be those who think the story is another poorly written, pretentious piece. I think it could make some uncomfortable because we live in a world where many people have so much more than they need (money) and can't begin to imagine what to do with it and so even if they are not using it to the degree that Remainder's character does, still the obession with having more and more of things they only think they need is just as sick an obession. Even those with not enough money do the same. Our society craves ways to gain fulfillment and satisfaction...always chasing after something, never slowing down enough to realize what it is that would truly allow them to enjoy life. 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/227275?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Allyse's review
rating:

The main character in Remainder must "remap" his brain in order to do the most simple tasks. Basic things like walking and eating must be reduced to step by step directions. Craving what he considers to be fluid and natural moments he begins to seek out perfection of action. In order to achieve these moments he begins to recreate very ordinary everyday events. These recreactions are accomplished by using the money awarded to him because of an accident he only just remembers having.

Tom McCarthy uses the main character (who remains nameless) to narrate his own story. Using the viewpoint of the main character allows you to "live" inside of his head..a place that becomes a more and more uncomfortable place to be.

I recommend this book to anyone who is comfortable taking a journey inside the mind of someone whose obsessions make his mind a truly terrifying place to be.

I can't say that I so much enjoyed the story as I enjoyed the way it was written. The...more

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message 1: by Summer

07/29/2007 10:53AM

Do you have this yet? I'm done with mine.