Unquestionably the worst book I've read in a very long time. Selected because of positive reviews from a couple websites I trust, and because I'm making a bit of an effort to read more current fiction. (But will revisit whether that effort is worthwhile.) (Maybe reviewers give the author some slack because he's a Nobel Prize winner? But we know that award doesn't correlate with much of anything, right?)
Some kid (David) on a boat full of emigrants loses his identity paperwork when a storm hits; an older fella (Simon) on the boat takes custody of him. They land in "Novilla" - some weird place where no one cares about much of anything and they all lose contact with the past. There is a shadowy government that takes care of everyone's basic needs. The search for David's mother takes a weird turn. Simon isn't happy in this lifeless place. David is pretty bright and has trouble in school.
Various allusions to possible divinity of young David (and in case the reader is obtuse, the author hits you over the head as to this issue with the title). But none of this works, either.
Would never have finished except it only took three sessions in the gym, and I incorrectly assumed something interesting might happen. Ugh.
No comments:
Post a Comment