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32 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful On So Many Levels, 27 Feb 2007
It's difficult to know where to begin when describing The Raw Shark Texts. There's a temptation to make a "fugue state" styled pun then jump straight into discussing the technical aspects of the novel, but the thing that sets it aside, the thing that makes it stand out from other literary fiction, is THAT IT'S FUN. The joy of this book is that you can paddle in its shark infested waters at a depth YOU feel comfortable with because the writer has somehow managed to construct a text which feels instantly personal - it is skillful not showy, it is metered not forced, and because of this you cannot help but get involved and have a bloody good time. There will be a lot of other great reviews I'm sure (because this is set to become a cult classic) but don't be put off if many end up sounding like a Raw Shark thesis - this is a technically exciting novel, but it's the love and loss themes and the simple pleasure of being guided by such an able writer that make The Raw Shark Texts a fantastic book.
The Mark Z. Danielewski comparison is a good one, but for me House Of Leaves became overly interested in technical showmanship and at times the writing craftsmanship suffered; this is infinitely more enjoyable.... a MUST BUY novel for anyone who enjoys a great first edition, and a stunning debut to boot.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly strange, or strangely brilliant?, 5 July 2009
I absolutely loved this book. I could hardly put it down. It blurs the lines between what's real and what we perceive to be real and questions if there's any difference. I only ever read fiction, I don't read books on philosophy or zen thought, so some of the deeper stuff was probably lost on me, but I loved the weirdness of the concepts behind the story. I thought the writing was at times really beautiful and I liked all the characters. I liked the nods to movies like The Wizard of Oz, and The Matrix, and of course Jaws (probably more as well that I didn't get). I finished the book this morning, and I'm already missing it - I might have to read it again right away. I liked the ambiguity of the plot and the ending and even though the reader could surmise that it was all the musing of a broken and delusional mind, I prefer to take it as literal truth within the world of the novel (ie I want them all to live happily ever after). Apparently the movie rights have been bought - wow - it's hard to imagine how this could be translated to the big screen - something like Being John Malkovich maybe or the film He Was a Quiet Man, with Christian Slater. Actually, there are quite a few movies that mess with your mind the way this book does (in a good way). Yeah, I think it would make a good movie. I definately think it is a good book.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Adventurous, Without Being Unintelligent., 15 Jun 2007
The first time I heard about this book I was taking a 10 minute break at work and I saw a friend/co-working reading this book in the lunch room. As usual, I asked what it was about. For as long as Ive worked at a bookstore, the two things I thought I knew about asking someone what a book was about were: 1)that their description always eats up those extra minutes of your break that would normally be boring and quiet, and 2)you never remember or care to remember what the book they recommended is about. Within the 5 minute description of the book told to me by my friend I instantly wanted to go out and grab it, so I picked up a copy and off I went. Based on his analysis, the synopsis on the store's website, and the book's outline on the back cover, I was not expecting this to be a fast read by any means, since most of the faster novels I find tend to have little substance. Boy was I wrong. Within 5 pages of the book I was thinking Mystery, within 50, Thriller, within 100, Adventure, withing 150, Conspiracy Theory, And so on and so forth, until I reached the end, and frankly, I didnt know what to call it in the end. All around a Captivating book, with, as most people have said, Several similarities to several other books/movies. I wont list any off simply because its not for me to tell you what the book does or doesnt remind you of. I Will say that this is a book worth reading and this is easily one of my personal favourites.
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