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angie_dutton's review against another edition
2.0
I get what this was trying to do but it was so boring due to not offering any entry point for me to actually give a shit. I don't think it conveys it's message very well, and comes across like a very high brow moron having a wank over all his favourite artists and writers. Far too lofty for anyone who isn't part of a wine society to care.
smithmick14's review against another edition
A history of the modern world scarred across the spinal column of the American landscape. A haunting self examination played out in the form of images flashing across closed eyes that are spinning through a web of free associations. "Person is a posthumous term" So the only way that you could show me yourself is to vomit the contents of yourself into an incantation.
This was really awesome to read in the thread of modern philosophy and post-war modern art. Feels like a properly brutal amalgamation of the destruction engines of the world of art. I'm glad Ballard was able to prove that imitation can become something truly creative. He certainly owes this book (and apparently much of his oeuvre) to Burroughs, but this feels uniquely creative and budded off of Burroughs instead of a shallow copy. A really fascinating seed from the packet that has sprouted so much of modern thought and philosophy.
This was really awesome to read in the thread of modern philosophy and post-war modern art. Feels like a properly brutal amalgamation of the destruction engines of the world of art. I'm glad Ballard was able to prove that imitation can become something truly creative. He certainly owes this book (and apparently much of his oeuvre) to Burroughs, but this feels uniquely creative and budded off of Burroughs instead of a shallow copy. A really fascinating seed from the packet that has sprouted so much of modern thought and philosophy.
lgray420's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
annalouise's review against another edition
3.0
interesting to see the development of this into crash, but i think it reads more as notes towards that book rather than anything to its own. while fiction, the narrative is fragmented and features the same characters (archetypes is perhaps more applicable, as the characters go by various names while retaining their ascribed values) in varying situations - environments, times, relations. to treat the events of the novel as reality is to do so only as far as presenting the reality of its characters - which is to say, to view their psychological issues as creating a false reality, but the truth (if it exists) is never explored. there is no differentiation between dream, fabrication and reality, all are treated as real as the others. i think this is perhaps best looked at as a series of experiments in writing rather than as a story/book of its own, and to look at Ballard's later work in the context of this one.
smawj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
catmilkremedies's review against another edition
4.0
banality and violence intermingled in a collage of advertisements and desperation. neat read! not for everyone though!
caitsidhe's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-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
4.75
I did not remotely understand this, but reading it made me feel uncomfortable and a bit sick. Excellent work!
dialhforhgai's review against another edition
4.0
The fact that an event has taken place is no proof of its valid occurrence.
kinosthesia's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely not the first book of Ballard's I would recommend anyone to read if you haven't read anything else of his. Its not the most acessible, definitely a challenge, bizarre and yet believable too. Disjointed chapters of flash fiction moments linked in togtehr makes diconcerting reading, and I would actually ecommend this aprticular version as it includes explanatory notes for each chapter by Ballard himself.
It one I think gives more on a second reading after having read the notes and I think its actually more clever than it might first appear. I got this copy from the library, but I think I will buy it for the notes alone as they have such profound perceptions.
It one I think gives more on a second reading after having read the notes and I think its actually more clever than it might first appear. I got this copy from the library, but I think I will buy it for the notes alone as they have such profound perceptions.