Has anyone read this new book?

[Serena Casey]

In my Barnes & Noble newsletter today, there's a book out by a new author with an approach I've never heard of. Has anyone seen this book? I think it might drive me crazy to be flipping back and forth.

"The experimental reach of Mark Z. Danielewski's first novel, House of Leaves, is surpassed in this astonishing new work detailing the love story of Sam and Hailey, two 16-year-old wanderers who never grow up but careen through American history — from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and right up to the present — on a mythic road trip. The story is told with innovation and ingenuity, in dual free verse narratives that begin at opposite ends of the book — the reader is advised to read eight pages of Sam's story, then flip the volume over and read eight pages in Hailey's voice — and meet in the middle. The margin of each page contains a running chronology of historical events, with additional verse comments printed upside down."

[LeeFlower]

I haven't read House of Leaves yet, but I know several people who thought it was brilliant.

I'd be willing to give it a try. I like the historical timeline idea.

[Becky Writes]

It sounds confusing to me, but I might have to check it out!

[Patricia]

Evidently the publisher thought it would sell. The buzz about the style, such as we are doing here, will generate sales. :)

[sassandgroove]

It does sound confusing. Couldn't the writer have alternated povs in a linear fashion. Kinda gmmicky. Still it could be good, I suppose. I probably wouldn't pick it up though, but I have so many other things on my must read list already....

[Jamesaritchie]

I wish it well, but I looked at it, and I wouldn't begin to pay for it.

[aadams73]

It sounds intriguing but I don't want to have to flip back and forth.

[RJLeahy]

I'll pass. I have better use of my time then playing games while I'm reading.

[KatRiley]

I got the same ad. I deleted it.

When a single paragraph description of the book has to include instructions on how to read the book... Not my kind of book.

[soloset]

Surely I can't be the only one who remembers CYOA books? That's the first thing I thought of when I heard about this; well, that and those old SF two-in-one books where one book was printed upside down on the back of the other.

So I guess the real question is, does the book come with dice and character sheets, or do we have to make our own?

[NicoleJLeBoeuf]

The book's not all that new; I bought it about three years ago. I loved it. First off, I love story-within-story structures, so that was a win, and I love stories about "the house is bigger inside than out," so, great. Secondly, you don't have to do as much turning the book around as all that. There is one section about 3/4 the way through the book where it gets frenetic, but otherwise it's not that hard or distracting to read. There are footnotes, but with the exception of one that is about 5 pages long and I suspect not meant to be read all the way through, they aren't very taxing.

If you like that sort of thing, the metastructure really plays off the central story very well. For instance, there's one chapter in which the old man's documentary briefly discusses the physics of echoes, and the discussion sort of backs you into the next discovery about the house, and I found the effect really chilling. Sort of like, "So, yadda yadda yadda, which is why spaces have to be X big or Y long in order to register an echo at all, which is why the sound of the kids' voices echoing where there should be not enough space for an echo to happen means CHILDREN IN DANGER RUN DADDY RUN AAAAUUUUGH!!!!!"

(Sorry. That was kind of a not-really-but-sort-of spoiler, but it sounds like no one else on this thread wants to read the book, so.)

I can report that after devouring this book over two consequtive nights, I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I kept staring at the dark and waiting for the walls to move.

[jbal]

Surely I can't be the only one who remembers CYOA books? That's the first thing I thought of when I heard about this; well, that and those old SF two-in-one books where one book was printed upside down on the back of the other.

So I guess the real question is, does the book come with dice and character sheets, or do we have to make our own?
I was actually thinking about those recently anyway, but in a different context. I used to love those when I was a kid, because you can read them over and over with different results. But I'm the world's biggest nerd.

[Eric Summers]

It sounds odd, but House of Leaves was such an awesome book I might be willing to give it a try.

That book looked like an incomprehensible mess, but it pulled me all the way through, even with the upside down footnotes in some places.

[Becky Writes]

THe description reminded me of CYOA, too.

Hmm...I wonder how that would work for romance.

If you want Jane to choose John, turn to page 47
If you want Jane to choose Bob, turn to page 62

[My-Immortal]

THe description reminded me of CYOA, too.

Hmm...I wonder how that would work for romance.

If you want Jane to choose John, turn to page 47
If you want Jane to choose Bob, turn to page 62

Adult romance CYOA book.....I wonder if there would be a market for that....

Chick-lit CYOA...

Or horror...(if you run away screaming, and stop and turn around every few steps to see if the killer has caught you yet, turn to page 80 <and die>. If you run like hell without looking back, turn to page 95.)

Or maybe historical fiction where you can try to guess what the actual path is....and/or you could try to 'improve' upon history and see what other 'alternative' results may have happened...

Okay - sorry - enough speculation.....

As for the initial thread question...."no".

[DamaNegra]

Or horror...(if you run away screaming, and stop and turn around every few steps to see if the killer has caught you yet, turn to page 80 <and die>. If you run like hell without looking back, turn to page 95.)

Actually, I do remember a few CYOA horror books. I always ended up dying in those :( I actually loved those books, even if no one else did, and I'm sorry to see they're not being produced anymore.

But yeah, I'd read this book. Although it could get messy, turning the book around a million times, once you get used to it, it should be no problem at all, I'd guess.

[maddythemad]

That would drive me batty. But then again, so did parts of the newest Lemony Snicket book, what with having to hold the book in the mirror to read it. :crazy:

[Inkdaub]

Danielewski is a great writer and House of Leaves was brilliant. I'll buy this new one for sure. Also, Mark Z's sister is the singer Poe. I remember, many years ago, when Poe was on Loveline. This was before the tv show. Anyway, Corolla was talking about Poe being hot and he was being vulgar. Then he mentioned he should stop because her brother was sitting in the next room. Jump ahead a bit to that brother being Mark Z and reading his brilliant book.

He also has a book called The Whalestoe Letters.

The new book, Only Revolutions, is out on the 19th.

[Mark Lazer]

I haven't read it yet, but did have a look at it at Waterstones. People who read it tell me it's a great tome to read. I'll read it anytime soon.

[gromhard]

It does sound confusing. Couldn't the writer have alternated povs in a linear fashion. Kinda gmmicky. Still it could be good, I suppose. I probably wouldn't pick it up though, but I have so many other things on my must read list already....
(bold mine)
Sass for the first time you and I are in complete agreement.
I hate whenever any new gimmicky writer tries to re-invent the wheel. As if what the rest of literature lacked could be made up for in a book that you have to turn every which way to read.
I haven't read this guy's book so I won't comment on it directly but it's been my experience that every gimmick I've ever come across in books was there to hide weak and flaccid writing.

Here's a gimmick, try writing a normal book that doesn't suck. That should be a bit of a hook! (sorry, still spitting venom over house of leaves by Poe's Brother[and that's all he'll ever be to me] and Haunted by Palanhuik)

[Mark Lazer]

Hey! Wait there! Besides the poems, what was wrong with Haunted?

[gromhard]

Hey! Wait there! Besides the poems, what was wrong with Haunted?

All gross out, no substance. His last 3 have really disappointed me, it's like after Choke he rant out of things to say but some agent said "Hey people really like you for your viscera and gore...just add more of that."
Lullaby wasn't very good but I forgave a lot because he was writing through some personal stuff.
Diary missed the mark for me too but it wasn't until I put down Haunted that I realized the Palanhuik who wrote Fight Club and Survivor is no more. This new Palanhuik has great style and a knack for storytelling...just no depth.