Yes, three stars but I didn't finish it. While the ideas and evidence were very interesting and handled well, this book is just way too long for my taYes, three stars but I didn't finish it. While the ideas and evidence were very interesting and handled well, this book is just way too long for my tastes. Maybe it's a pet peeve of mine, but when someone is backing up a theory with examples, a handful will suffice for me. I felt there were far too many examples used to get each point across. At almost 500 pages (not counting the Appendix), I made it about half-way through before the repetition and aforementioned abundance of examples wore me down.
All that being said, I'll reiterate that there are definitely some interesting concepts here. To dismiss the theories because the hard science is not completely there is, I think, a bit irresponsible. There is plenty going on in the universe that we don't understand (yet). Science always comes off as magic in the beginning, right? I may pick this back up again to finish someday; just needed a break....more
I stopped after three excruciating pages of run-on sentences. So I skipped to "The Bear" (I've heard good things about it) and after pushing through aI stopped after three excruciating pages of run-on sentences. So I skipped to "The Bear" (I've heard good things about it) and after pushing through an 18-line sentence and remembering how much I disliked The Reivers, I decided Faulkner is just not my thing....more
I read in another review that this book was another trunk novel (from the 70s), like Blaze. And, much like Blaze, it should have stayed there. After gI read in another review that this book was another trunk novel (from the 70s), like Blaze. And, much like Blaze, it should have stayed there. After getting 1/3 of the way through -- which was only possible because King was lighter than usual on the annoying, quirky, repetitive sayings he has overused the last few books -- I tried to think of any real reason to keep reading. Was the plot interesting enough? Was the cardboard foreshadowing enough to keep my curiosity up?
After deciding my life would not feel empty if I didn't finish it, I decided to read a full synopsis. Yes....the remaining two-thirds were likely going to be chock full of more 70s fight-the-man rhetoric where even the "good" conservatives were actually closet liberals and faith is a symptom of insanity. Even disregarding that, I was simply happy I didn't wade through the full 1000+ pages only to be met with the ending and reasons for "the dome" that were laid out in the synopsis.
Another review brings up a good point: was King's work always like this and I've only just noticed the past decade or so? I'm almost afraid to go back a read The Dark Tower series (my favorite of his and he's just finished a new one, which I believe will come out next year) for fear of finding this is true....more
Read the handful of other two-star reviews. They just about sum it up for me. The characters were uninteresting; I'd rather have a flat character withRead the handful of other two-star reviews. They just about sum it up for me. The characters were uninteresting; I'd rather have a flat character with more action/reaction going on than overly drawn, cardboard cutouts. It felt as if I was constantly wading through flashbacks and the plot just never got interesting for me. It gets an extra star for a few beautiful phrase here and there, but I'm halfway through and have no desire to continue reading....more
I made it halfway through. The initial concept is interesting, but I found the characters and plot pushing it along ultimately boring. The thin socialI made it halfway through. The initial concept is interesting, but I found the characters and plot pushing it along ultimately boring. The thin social commentary seemed sometimes driven more by personal bias than well thought out reason, but perhaps that was my own biased interpretation. I might have finished this if I'd been on vacation; it's more of a beach book. But I'm not, and since I found I had no real anticipation for what happened next each time I picked up the book, I decided to put it down for good....more
The first 50+ pages was like listening to someone tell a story with so many tangents and sentences so long that I forget where it was even headed to bThe first 50+ pages was like listening to someone tell a story with so many tangents and sentences so long that I forget where it was even headed to being with. I understand the style was part of the story, but I don't like hearing a story told in that manner in real life, so it lost its novelty quickly. I laughed out loud once, but the rest of the humor never even got a smile. The only reason I can see this won a Pulitzer is because of the year it was published and the racial commentary (not a main theme, but prevalent). If the same book were published now (by an unknown), I don't think it would garner so much as a nod. I started skimming with 50 pages to go, not really caring much about the outcome. This book is definitely not for me....more
I don't care much for magazine articles or pop-culture beyond the surface material. This book combined the two and after about 85 pages I had to stop.I don't care much for magazine articles or pop-culture beyond the surface material. This book combined the two and after about 85 pages I had to stop. Though funny at times, ultimately the essays/articles in this book fed me facts and opinions on people I don't really care enough about to find entertaining or interesting.
I borrowed this from a big Klosterman fan who assures me it's not his best and not necessarily the best representation of his work, so I'll give another of his books a go. I just couldn't get into this one....more
I'll finish this book eventually. The writing is excellent and has made the 500+ pages I've already read seem to go by quickly. However, the actual plI'll finish this book eventually. The writing is excellent and has made the 500+ pages I've already read seem to go by quickly. However, the actual plot is moving so slowly I've become a bit frustrated waiting for things to move along......more
I couldn't finish this book, which is rare. To be fair, I found I wasn't as interested in the subject matter as I thought I would be. I got halfway thI couldn't finish this book, which is rare. To be fair, I found I wasn't as interested in the subject matter as I thought I would be. I got halfway through, skimmed the rest for anything I might want to read, and decided it just wasn't for me. It started out interesting for me, but just seemed to drag on. And I'm not much for non-fiction....more
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