Friday, February 26, 2010

Book 24: First Impressions.

Well.

I'm not sure what to think.

I am currently about 50 pages into The Shipping News and I am not really sure what I am thinking.

I was expecting some great things, considering this is a rather new novel (1993) and is already being considered a "classic" on some lists, so why do I feel like I have nothing to say?

Sure, the book is interesting, but I am still waiting to be bowled over with an amazing story.

So far, I have gotten this: Quoyle is a large man who not really bright. He falls in love with a loose woman and has two kids with her. She hates her kids and often abandons them. He works for a newspaper, even though he has no knowledge of writing.

That's about it. And I am feeling like I am missing something. Perhaps I am not far enough into the book to be grabbed yet by the story. I am enjoying the writing. Obviously, I know that a main part of the novel is the fact that Quoyle works for a newspaper. Some of the writing seems written in that short, choppy style that I associate with news articles. So that, in and of itself, is interesting.

I also like the characters...except Quoyle. To me, it seems as if Quoyle is just going through the motions of life and I am finding it hard to like him. I do like his crazy aunt and his daughters, and some of the other minor characters, but I hope he grows on me, because right now I think he's an idiot.

The structure of the novel is also different. Each chapter is titled with a type of nautical knot and a short excerpt from a book of knots always follows. The chapter is always related to the knot and the description, which really adds a lot of depth.

Anyway, I am going to keep plowing through in hopes that Quoyle begins to amaze me.

4 comments:

  1. I'm always skeptical of books being billed as 'modern classics'! I saw the movie adaptation of this years ago, and I can't remember a thing about it. Which probably isn't a good sign. Anyway, I hope the book picks up for you. ;)

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  2. Good luck with that. I too saw to film adaptation, and I barely remember it at all, I definitely don't remember enjoying it. I can vaguely picture the bloke who played the main character, he was blond wasn't it he?

    Anyway, I haven't read this, but already it sounds like maybe I should give it a miss.

    Sometimes I think though that when you hear so many good things about a book, you can get all excited about it, and then it doesn't meet your expectations because they have become too high

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  3. Oh gosh...I hope this book starts to speak to you! It's hard to read and appreciate a book if it fails to reach you on some level... :)

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  4. I concur with Melissa's comments. If the book isn't speaking to you then I wouldn't push myself to read it! I did enjoy this one but maybe it was just the right book at the right time.

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