jedbird's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The only other Barker I've read is WEAVEWORLD, which I read back in 1987 and found thoroughly enthralling. I reread that book a few years back and was disturbed by the racism that pervades the fantasy that I (a white person) didn't pick up on back in the day, and that did affect my enjoyment of a truly creative horror classic.
This book is neither as creative nor as fantastical as that earlier book. Rather than racism, it has baffling sizeism - a teenage girl who is a mere 20 lb heavier than her teenage friends is described as blobby and fat and ponderous over and over again, suggesting that Mr. Barker has no real sense of what 20 lb looks like, but knows he hates the idea of it. Anyway, that seemed weird.
Two enemies locked in an eternal battle are horrified when their offspring fall in love. The secrets beyond the secrets are being exposed and an unthinkable enemy approaches on a tide of dreams. It's all dramatic but I found it lacked inspiration and I didn't care about any of the characters except maybe poor Raul, who was blameless in all of this.
There's another book, which I feel sort of obligated to read, but maybe I won't be in a hurry to do that.
This book is neither as creative nor as fantastical as that earlier book. Rather than racism, it has baffling sizeism - a teenage girl who is a mere 20 lb heavier than her teenage friends is described as blobby and fat and ponderous over and over again, suggesting that Mr. Barker has no real sense of what 20 lb looks like, but knows he hates the idea of it. Anyway, that seemed weird.
Two enemies locked in an eternal battle are horrified when their offspring fall in love. The secrets beyond the secrets are being exposed and an unthinkable enemy approaches on a tide of dreams. It's all dramatic but I found it lacked inspiration and I didn't care about any of the characters except maybe poor Raul, who was blameless in all of this.
There's another book, which I feel sort of obligated to read, but maybe I won't be in a hurry to do that.
ainsleyiscariot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
ethorwitz's review against another edition
2.0
Extremely disappointing. All of Clive Barker's usual themes are certainly present: nonjudgmental eroticism, visceral body-horror, religious revelation; but they are in service of a sloppily assembled and meandering storyline. His [b: Books of Blood|761023|Books of Blood Volume One (Books of Blood #1)|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429999423s/761023.jpg|1249260] delivered these themes with a breathtaking mastery, [b: The Hellbound Heart|52635|The Hellbound Heart|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327312426s/52635.jpg|1093522] and its movie adaptation can at least commit to a brutally Sadeian purpose. The are some excellent ideas and some genuinely demented images in The Great and Secret Show, but the way it flails around is frustrating. I spent all this time committing to a door-stopper epic, only to learn too late that maybe I should've tried [b: Imajica|567704|Imajica|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1333844729s/567704.jpg|1371342] or [b: Weaveworld|52640|Weaveworld|Clive Barker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1329374451s/52640.jpg|942564] instead.
topo_di_biblioteca's review against another edition
1.0
Imaginative, crass, long-winded story that tries too hard to be "edgy". Characters had no depth, every single one could've died and I wouldn't care at all. Halfway through I was curious about the resolution, but shortly after I just couldn't wait for it to end. It would've been a bad 300 page book, it was an awful 650 page book. Ugh.
perfectsham's review against another edition
2.0
Like every Barker book I've read, this starts off with such promise; intriguing characters and a fascinating premise, then starts to drag around the middle until by the last quarter I'm thoroughly bored. This went into the pile of "life's too short to finish reading" books.
jvar's review against another edition
5.0
This was the first of Barker's books I read. It's when I learned of the sea of Quiddity. And how you visit it three times in your life. Full of horror and the most fantastic of characters. This is a book I have read and re-read without ever becoming bored, though I would not recommend it at bedtime reading. Unless you enjoy nightmares. It is an amazing epic story.
laynetheandroid's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
realmsrider's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mr_dulac's review against another edition
5.0
I kinda geeked out when Harry D'Amour's name comes up.