What do you think?
Rate this book
Monkey
Monkey is a story about three special beings with outstanding The Monkey, the Tiger and the Snake. The Tiger works for a group that is supposed to be good. The Snake works for a group that is supposed to be bad. The playful, mischievous Monkey inadvertently gets caught between the two of them trying to recruit him. Which one will he choose? Monkey is an action adventure story that delves deeply into the circuitous thinking of its characters. It's like an ironic kung-fu story told by Gertrude Stein and Dr Seuss.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 30, 2015
I have never known a book written like Monkey and I am so glad I have now read it. It is the essence of a novel. It is a story vivisected. It is like looking at the gears on the back of a clock to understand time. I now understand character development with more clarity - and perhaps I understand myself a little better too.
Where to start with Monkey? First, I will admit that when I was given this book I read the first chapter and thought "I am not smart enough to read this". The second time I picked it up, I read two chapters and thought "Okay, this book terrifies me". My advice to a reader of Monkey is to commit to the first four chapters - I could not set the book down after that. By chapter four, you've got a basic understanding of the players and the board.
Boyce's writing style is pithy and subtle. It is a joy to read - especially as a word-lover. Successive sentences re-adjust words and phrases in ways which remind readers of how the English language has such damnable variation of meaning. The way Boyce does this means this is not a book you can skim. Your absolute engagement is required. Writing of this nature really forces a reader to slow down and consider each word, why it is used, and why it is repeated. Akin to a form in martial arts, where each movement has meaning, and combined meanings have further value as a whole, and on, and on. Fitting, for the style of novel, truly.
Another thing I love about Monkey: the fight scenes. The fights Boyce writes kick ass. They are the kind of fight sequences you read and your muscles are twitching and your heart is racing because you are right there in the action. Also, I do not believe I have ever called a fight scene sexy before, but Boyce has equally awesome male and female fighters in Monkey, and it will suffice to say that if I had a fan it would certainly be aflutter. Smelling salts may be required if you're a Victorian lady.
I'm really pleased with this novel - I learned something. In fact, I learned a lot. I reckon that every time I re-read this novel, I will learn something new and find so much more to delight in.
Where to start with Monkey? First, I will admit that when I was given this book I read the first chapter and thought "I am not smart enough to read this". The second time I picked it up, I read two chapters and thought "Okay, this book terrifies me". My advice to a reader of Monkey is to commit to the first four chapters - I could not set the book down after that. By chapter four, you've got a basic understanding of the players and the board.
Boyce's writing style is pithy and subtle. It is a joy to read - especially as a word-lover. Successive sentences re-adjust words and phrases in ways which remind readers of how the English language has such damnable variation of meaning. The way Boyce does this means this is not a book you can skim. Your absolute engagement is required. Writing of this nature really forces a reader to slow down and consider each word, why it is used, and why it is repeated. Akin to a form in martial arts, where each movement has meaning, and combined meanings have further value as a whole, and on, and on. Fitting, for the style of novel, truly.
Another thing I love about Monkey: the fight scenes. The fights Boyce writes kick ass. They are the kind of fight sequences you read and your muscles are twitching and your heart is racing because you are right there in the action. Also, I do not believe I have ever called a fight scene sexy before, but Boyce has equally awesome male and female fighters in Monkey, and it will suffice to say that if I had a fan it would certainly be aflutter. Smelling salts may be required if you're a Victorian lady.
I'm really pleased with this novel - I learned something. In fact, I learned a lot. I reckon that every time I re-read this novel, I will learn something new and find so much more to delight in.
November 15, 2013
Well, I wrote it and I like it very much. I'm quite proud of this book, of what I believe I accomplished writing it. I think it's interesting as writing and entertaining also.
August 26, 2022
A heady and challenging to read book. Three main characters, epitomized as a male monkey, a female tiger and a male snake (and inhabiting a seemingly human-less world, even though they all live in a city, each with their own apartment unit, etc.) begin to know of one another, which leads to all three slowly knowing each other, with both the snake and the tiger vying for the monkey's attention, before they have a tryst with each other later in the text.
The structure and conceit of the book allows for some interesting ruminations about the role/function of the individual in couples/throuples, but also the role of the individual vis-à-vis the extended friend networks that come with coupling/throupling. However, even the most insightful passage does not rank with some of the best Existentialist plays that have a similar conceit. Also, the circular thought patterns of all three protagonists makes this book a struggle to get through, even though it's more of an issue in the first half. However, as a first novel, this is making a strong attempt at being virtuosic in both form and style.
The structure and conceit of the book allows for some interesting ruminations about the role/function of the individual in couples/throuples, but also the role of the individual vis-à-vis the extended friend networks that come with coupling/throupling. However, even the most insightful passage does not rank with some of the best Existentialist plays that have a similar conceit. Also, the circular thought patterns of all three protagonists makes this book a struggle to get through, even though it's more of an issue in the first half. However, as a first novel, this is making a strong attempt at being virtuosic in both form and style.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews