neveractuallyreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
yeahdeadslow's review
4.0
I learned about Edward Carey from his wife's memoir An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination. My curiosity was piqued and I went to look him up after I finished it.
I was interested in reading his book Observatory Mansions but all our library system had was Alva & Irva: The Twins Who Saved a City. I decided to give it a go, even though it looked kind of science-fictionesque. It wasn't though, really. Even though Entralla was a fictional place, it felt real. As if someday, wandering the earth, I could stumble across it and walk along the streets that Alva and Irva so painstakingly reproduced in plasticine. (I would, of course, take a copy of "Alva and Irva...etc." with me [making sure to flaunt it] so I could get discounts at all those restaurants Alva mentioned.) Yet it was not completely realistic, still having an otherworldly element, a trace of something you can't find on pragmatic Earth.
Twins in literature are one of my favourite things since their portrayals are generally very fascinating. Alva and Irva were no exception; they are certainly an excellent addition to the world of literary twins. They were naturally flawed, odd, but sympathetic characters. Being a homebody, I could feel Irva's pain. But yet I still empathized with Alva, who wanted nothing more than the world. (There was a bit in the middle where I felt Alva was too cruel and Irva too complacent, but that passed.)
This is one of the most creative books I have read in a while. It was a little strange but also touching. Edward Carey is a lovely writer.
(P.S. I don't know if its possible to get plasticine in the U.S., but I find myself wanting some really bad right now...! The inclusion of the pictures of the plasticine sculptures was so cool too! That's probably one thing that helped it all seem so real.)
I was interested in reading his book Observatory Mansions but all our library system had was Alva & Irva: The Twins Who Saved a City. I decided to give it a go, even though it looked kind of science-fictionesque. It wasn't though, really. Even though Entralla was a fictional place, it felt real. As if someday, wandering the earth, I could stumble across it and walk along the streets that Alva and Irva so painstakingly reproduced in plasticine. (I would, of course, take a copy of "Alva and Irva...etc." with me [making sure to flaunt it] so I could get discounts at all those restaurants Alva mentioned.) Yet it was not completely realistic, still having an otherworldly element, a trace of something you can't find on pragmatic Earth.
Twins in literature are one of my favourite things since their portrayals are generally very fascinating. Alva and Irva were no exception; they are certainly an excellent addition to the world of literary twins. They were naturally flawed, odd, but sympathetic characters. Being a homebody, I could feel Irva's pain. But yet I still empathized with Alva, who wanted nothing more than the world. (There was a bit in the middle where I felt Alva was too cruel and Irva too complacent, but that passed.)
This is one of the most creative books I have read in a while. It was a little strange but also touching. Edward Carey is a lovely writer.
(P.S. I don't know if its possible to get plasticine in the U.S., but I find myself wanting some really bad right now...! The inclusion of the pictures of the plasticine sculptures was so cool too! That's probably one thing that helped it all seem so real.)
whatmeganreads's review
2.0
Unfortunately, this was a disappointing read. I absolutely adored Little, another work from this author, (it was a top 10 book of 2018 for me) however, none of his other novels have even come close to that one. Skip this one.
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