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Brian L

Brian L

  • Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • member since Wednesday, April 2 2008

Profile: Reviews

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  • Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (33 1/3) (33 1/3)
    • Rated 5 stars

    “The story behind one of the all time great albums of indie rock; the strange people that made it and the unique life they lead allowing them to create it. Must read for fans, my only wish is that the understandable respect shown for Jeff Mangum's personal privacy didn't keep them from elaborating a bit more on the aftermath of their rise to fame.”

    Brian L wrote this review 7 days ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Revolutionary Road
    • Rated 5 stars

    “From the first page to the last I was completely absorbed. Both depressing and funny at the same time, it expertly captures the over-riding desperation of suburban family life gone stale, and its characters' failed attempts to revive the lost hopes of the past.”

    Brian L wrote this review Thursday, September 11 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Savage Detectives: A Novel
    • Rated 2 stars

    “i found the book itself to be very reflective of the characters it follows: occasionally poetic, but mostly wandering, wankery, and ultimately going nowhere. i officially put this in the infamous 'literary people say its good but no one normal would agree' column.”

    Brian L wrote this review Sunday, August 10 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Soon I Will Be Invincible: A Novel
    • Rated 3 stars

    “A novelized superhero story that gets more into the inner insecurities of a rising super-hero and the lonely sadness of a supervillain. A nice light read and a different side of the story than you usually see in comics.”

    Brian L wrote this review Sunday, July 6 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
    • Rated 3 stars

    “sometimes you can tell books are very good in a broad sense, but just not your kind of book. i was hoping for more ghetto nerd chronicle and less generational drama, but still enjoyed the great mix of sadness and humor -- and would have given it one more star if i knew enough spanish to get more of the jokes.”

    Brian L wrote this review Thursday, June 5 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Black Sabbath's Master of Reality: 33 1/3
    • Rated 4 stars

    “not only does the in-depth discussion make it impossible not to appreciate a classic album; delivering it from the perspective of a character most likely to love this album so passionately drives it home all the harder. plus it's a WAY better read than a 100 page album 'review'.”

    Brian L wrote this review Tuesday, May 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Then We Came to the End: A Novel
    • Rated 4 stars

    “this book perfectly captures the frustrations of having an easy, cushy job but still dreading your days and being dissatisfied with your life. it's very funny, observant, and i enjoyed the narrative 'we', even though the setting was a little disturbingly close to the mark.”

    Brian L wrote this review Thursday, May 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • A Million Little Pieces
    • Rated 3 stars

    “if this were 100% true, frey would deserve the iron will of the century award for transforming himself from detestable monster to decent person. unfortunately, his exaggerations cast a shadow over the whole story; taken as fiction, even though i ended up rooting for him, it's actually too impressive to be believable.”

    Brian L wrote this review Friday, April 25 2008. ( reply | permalink )
  • Cloud Atlas: A Novel
    • Rated 4 stars

    “six very different characters and their stories -- each good on their own -- gain even more weight when told in this tangentially interlocking, strangely nested novel. the sum of the parts is much more magical and profound, not to mention a good way to propel you toward the end.”

    Brian L wrote this review Monday, April 14 2008. ( reply | permalink )


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