yrsbrn's review against another edition
4.0
I love Auster and his writing style. I can’t ever place my finger on why, but it’s addictive.
This one took me on a few different twists and turns, and it subverted my expectations for the rest of the story every time I reset them. The title fits, and I’m already excited to dig into more Auster.
This one took me on a few different twists and turns, and it subverted my expectations for the rest of the story every time I reset them. The title fits, and I’m already excited to dig into more Auster.
masonanddixon's review against another edition
3.0
Genuinely like Auster; Leviathan and the New York trilogy are both very good. This though, seems to be his attempt at a more traditional, less experimental novel, and his almost ambient style doesn't really mesh with a more traditional narrative. Especially one who's philosophical pondering on death, loss and its relation to self and creating art never really cohere, and instead flicker into ash like film on an overheated bulb.
wordfa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
damopedro's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Took me a little while to get into but once I got going out was hard to put down. It's one to think about for a while after.
lasdald's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fairly enjoyable, at times captivating read, but I found it difficult to relate to and sometimes quite absurd. I like a fanciful story, but one that could at least potentially be based in some sort of reality. This one felt a bit too far out there. And as others have commented, it felt like the author couldn't quite tell which story to tell. In general, I'm glad I read the book, but it's not one I'll be coming back to. And it hasn't piqued my interest in further exploring Paul Auster's work.
pdxpiney's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Strong writing, odd subject matter, with minor offenses to several demographics (Deaf people, little people, etc.), and the female characters are one-dimensional, more archetypes than people.
Overall: a whole lotta self-destruction. At some point a main character says the only known is one’s ultimate death, and boy howdy does everybody die in the end of this one. And in the beginning, and everywhere in between.
Overall: a whole lotta self-destruction. At some point a main character says the only known is one’s ultimate death, and boy howdy does everybody die in the end of this one. And in the beginning, and everywhere in between.
clarrro's review against another edition
3.0
It started out as a 5, then slipped to a 3, bounced back a bit to a 4 and ended up a 2.
What a strange, disconnected, convoluted plot with long long swatches of story that had nothing to do with the main character and then a beyond bizarre ending.
oh well. Everyone has different taste.
What a strange, disconnected, convoluted plot with long long swatches of story that had nothing to do with the main character and then a beyond bizarre ending.
oh well. Everyone has different taste.
ojaypm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A good book driven by a genuinely interesting premise. Very character driven and an interesting style with dialogue not separated from the main text.
The characters are believable, human and fallible. Painful to read in some places describing the loss of loved ones. But I think there will be descriptions and scenes that stay in my head for a while
The characters are believable, human and fallible. Painful to read in some places describing the loss of loved ones. But I think there will be descriptions and scenes that stay in my head for a while
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Murder
mautt_d's review against another edition
4.0
After the New York Trilogy and Music of Chance, Book of Illusions convinced me that I was a Paul Auster fan. His surreal elements are tamped down slightly or at least mostly confined to the world of the silver screen here. To make up for it, the book plays around with memory and narrative, as multiple tragic tales converge and form uncanny parallels as we explore stories within stories.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
dessa's review against another edition
4.0
Reread May 2017: I don't know what it is about him, but I just have such a weird soft spot for Paul Auster. If he could quit killing off wives, girlfriends, ex-girlfriends, mothers, sisters, and / or cousins just so his characters can be suitably tortured, I would like that very much. But I still love him. God help me. I don't know why. Book of Illusions appeals to me especially because it's not just a novel, but the creation of a mythos around a fictional silent film actor - complete with detailed descriptions and run-throughs of several of his films. It's ye old play within a play, and it gets me every time.