Five stars because ... really, who doesn't like making up stories in their head about a co-worker they despise or have a crush on or just someone you see around everyday but you don't know the name of. I work in a place where people have frikkin code names for everyone, I shit you not. This book is just like taking it up a notch.
Anyway, this a "cover-love" purchase that didn't disappoint, well it was a present so ... lol. Actually, the fact that I wasn't sure what to expect from this book might have helped. Yes, I read the blurb but, again, I wasn't paying attention to genres so I was a little surprised (in a good way) to find short, slightly related stories inside. I've always said that I'm a sucker for short stories but this series of short stories is one of the most quirky and entertaining that I've read in a few months.
At first I thought it might be interesting to read because I had a brief stint with a newspaper ... long ago ...when I was younger. I was a bit intimidated, though, because it's categorized as literary fiction and I don't like going anywhere near critically acclaimed pieces because I end up not liking them and then I end up feeling so ... uncultured. Just kidding. I think what really pulled me was that these are real life situations of working people. Nothing romaticized or anything. Just stories that can happen to anyone written with dry humor.
Normally I'd pick a favorite story or a favorite character. I can't do it with this one. I see a mixed reviews so I guess this isn't for everyone but I would recommend it. And I don't really do that lol.
If you can get past the fact that this kid talks in metaphors but can't use definite articles properly, then this is a fairly fast read. I couldn't get over it. And I quote:
There's a few more around the whole book. I understand he wasn't raised in a proper environment but he was raised with books (albeit a limited number) and his mother corrects him when he uses the wrong words? Also maybe because they treat "door" and "wardrobe" and "toilet", etc as a person? Not a person person but a ... being. Like Door is Matt or Toilet is Andy or something so you don't have to use a ... specifier or something. Err, yea I couldn't get over it. Other than that ...
I liked the story, it's not overly complicated (the prose and storytelling, I mean, because, yes, the plot is sad and twisted) and there's a little bit of suspense in it and I said a little bit because there's really just that one part that wasn't too predictable (t's human nature so it's pretty much predictable). I guess it's the story-telling in the eyes of a 5-year old that's the hardest to do but it she pulled it.
Rating: 3 stars
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| COVER LOVE!!! |
This is one of the books I got for the cover and in that aspect I don't regret buying it for the full price which is almost the same as a hard cover. For the cover and overall packaging alone I'd give this a five-star rating. Alas, you should never judge a book by its cover. Lol.
I'm not saying this is not a good book. It is. I liked that it was ambitious in a way that it talked about religion and that it's a historical fiction but I thought it had a weak ending. I suppose it was my fault because the plot and the blurb (and the cover!!!) was so promising I expected way too much from it. Especially when John's mother said ... "there's more." I waited (!!!) for that more! Lol. John and Lucy's love story dragged too. I get the whole it's a family thing but ... Yeah. Haha! I also thought there were too many characters here and I can understand the part that the story ran for years but some were probably unnecessary?
Overall, the book had a good start ... and that was it. The most I can give this is a 3.5.
The whole time I was reading this book there's a small voice at the back of my head whispering that, in summary, this book is saying that a golem, who makes perfect servants, is the epitome of a good wife and that its opposite is a polygamous, devil-may-care, MALE jinn. Lol. How stereotypical is that? I didn't know a lot about the true nature of golems or jinns until this book. But then again it's fiction so the author has the power to alter stuff. Here's what I knew before the book. Golems were strong and are made of clay and you put a paper in them to animate them (I think) so I thought at first that the golem was the guy and the jinni was the girl because jinns are beings of air and fire (mostly fire in this book) and more fickle ... now who's stereotyping? Kee-hee.
At first I thought, what are the odds that a Jinn would end up in a Syrian community and a Golem in a Jewish one? I mean, the flask could've been lost in time or sold to an antique shop or there could be a non-Jewish person who is knowledgeable about what golems are and how golems work who could've spotted Chava before the Rabbi did. But I guess it's significant to what the author wanted to define. Which I can't really say what lol. I'm not the author so I don't know if the book was written to tell people that we could live in harmony with people of different cultures and traditions and beliefs but it sounded that way and also kind of ... not ... that ... way? Haha! I thought she was very casual about talking about the traditions of the two communities. That was one of the things I loved about it too.
I guess people who are old-fashioned at heart would like this not because it's a historical fiction but because it was specific on folklore and traditions.
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In other news, I just got a self-inking stamp to use for all my books. Haha! Cheap thrills.
The Golem and The Jinni was the first book I stamped. I think I'm going to have fun this weekend. :p
Ironically, the thing I hated most about this book is also the part that had the best prose (in the book). The ending.
In summary, the ending was good but it was a hanger. I said good because I liked that the narrator was literally talking to the reader. I liked how it was delivered; but no one wants to be left hanging. I felt cheated because I liked the book and the story a lot and then I found out that I had to wait another year before knowing what's going to happen next. To be specific, who Blue is in Base Life (shallow, I know) and how they will defeat Gesh and what happened to Levi ... and the list goes on.
Now, I'm not a big scifi person. I took off one star not because of the ending, it was because I zone out every time they explain how the "Limbo" and soul travel works. I think people who are into vintage stuff might like this in a way that the author took time to describe Alex's dresses in detail. Although I have to say I couldn't help but think ... "Heh. Pinterest."
Some books are meant to be a stand-alone. Some should be in a series ... this is what I kept repeating to myself just so I don't throw my Kindle out the window.
I like Fermin's character and I love that this book is mostly about him. I also love that it answered some of the questions I had. I didn't like that I still didn't know the significance of sugar cubes to David Martin's case. Heh. The ending of the book implies that there is another book after the 3rd installment because it leaves a lot of questions (about Sofia, about Isabella, about Valls, etc ... and don't forget the sugar cubes lol). On one hand, the sort-of hanger was annoying, on the other hand, I love the idea that there will be a 4th Cemetery of Forgotten Books installment.
