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Most Helpful Reviews
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Liked It “This book is good, it just never seems to get started.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “If someone made Lindsay Lohan into a book, this is kind of what I'd expect from it. |
Newest Reviews
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“crazy book! it was hard to remember names and stories and still stay on track with the plot...wait...was there a plot? ”
LitChick wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“If someone made Lindsay Lohan into a book, this is kind of what I'd expect from it.
Megalion wrote this review Wednesday, July 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Not that the writing itself is bad but the story and the elements of the story are just a big hot mess.
I could deal with the name changes, and the girl with wings. But not the mountain for a father and a washing machine for a mother.
The story jumps around and is like another reviewer here said, appears to be about two different stories blended together with a common protagonist.
In a way, this book reminds me of Neal Stephenson's early work and even Matt Ruff but fails to deliver any kind of point or meaning to the many bizarre jumps around the story and timeline.
I kept struggling through it because I REALLY LOVED Little Brother and hoped that that there'd be some kind of Stephenson/Ruff payoff at the end but it didn't happen.
I've read the reviews by other people on Shelfari so far for this book and doesn't seem like anyone else gets it. Those who gave a high rating seem also to be confused by what they read.
I'll keep trying to read Cory's work. The back of this book was covered with rave reviews for another one of his books. ”
“The writing was fine; I just didn't really take to the characters that much. What a fantastic thing to have wings; how morose to cut them off. A father that's a mountain and a mother that's a washing machine, what kind of demeaning stereotypical view is that? And what would be their connection in the first place? Maybe I'm just not imaginative enough, but I have to have some basis for how things became the way they are and I just couldn't make it work here.”
Stan W wrote this review Tuesday, July 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book is good, it just never seems to get started.”
Jacob Casey wrote this review Sunday, March 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Doctorow adds a nice twist of Alice in Wonderland surrealism to a story that is about monsters-- the very real kind that haunt people who survive being raised in dysfunctional families. This is a dark & wonderful story about the destructiveness of keeping painful family secrets and the hope that can be found in becoming strong enough to stop hiding who one is.”
Punk Gardener wrote this review Friday, December 5 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is one of the strangest stories I have ever read. At times touching, horrifyingly violent, and erotic, SCTSLT does not tie up loose ends. Yet I have a feeling the story of a nameless man whose father was a mountain and mother was a washing machine will stick with me.”
apokalypsis wrote this review Friday, November 28 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“When I picked this book up off the shelf at the library and read the back cover, I was like WHAT? I had my serious doubts about liking this book and my expectations were low. While I would not say I thought this book was cutting edge or my favorite it is certainly worth a read. The characters are interesting and the story line certainly makes you wonder what will happen next. ”
kathy s wrote this review Thursday, January 17 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I think maybe Cory Doctorow thought he was writing really edgy, postmodern, interstitial fiction here, but it really just comes out as a mess. Mainly, we learn that C.D. thinks that knives are really cool, and he's willing to stick with bizarre ideas (my dad is a mountain and my mom is a washing machine) whether they pay off or not. Not good.”
Joel B wrote this review Tuesday, December 4 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“A friend bought this as a gift for my youngest daughter. And, if she ever gets around to reading it, she'll like it. Heck, a woman with wings growing from her back, a mother and a father who are a washing machine and a mountain, brothers who are nesting figures, what's not to like. ”
MarcyLou wrote this review Thursday, October 11 2007. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
