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aiight's review
3.0
This book starts strong, drawing you in with an intriguing 'from-a-crow's-perspective' approach. Crow language, culture, tradition, thought process, and more play a role in the storytelling and it is engrossing. It sadly devolves into a repetitive retelling through reincarnation in which not much is added in each iteration, neither to the crow world nor to the human world. The abstractions increase and are more layered, making it difficult to wade through it all. By the end, I wasn't sure what was left to take away from the narrative, and the impactful parts of the narrative were undercut but all the abstraction.
lwb's review
4.0
John Crowley provides further evidence that the Lecturers in the Yale English department should actually be full professors.
murfman's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
davidpc83's review
4.0
It's the story of a crow, named Dar Oakley, that has lived and died many times throughout our world's history. His story is mythological, dream-like, of life and afterlife, of love and death. It spans from prehistoric "caveman" times to early native civilizations to Early Christian /Middle Ages to European colonization of North America to Civil War end in current day. It was a long read, and confusing at times, but overall I really enjoyed it. :)
rochellegermano's review
2.0
I thought I would like this book, but it was so hard to get through. The writing was pretty and the idea was genuine and unique. But it felt like a fable that could have been 50 pages long that was stretched out into a 400 page novel.
corvusastrum's review against another edition
2.75
This book is going right over my head. Might be the translation, but I seriously have no idea what's going on / what the author is trying to tell me. I understand it's about death, and still it feels like there's no real point to it, no plot I can follow, so I'm sadly completely lost.
At the same time I really love the crow protagonist, love seeing the world through his eyes, love how invested he is with humans.
All in all a confusing read, I striggled through a lot of it and yet couldn't stop thinking about it.
At the same time I really love the crow protagonist, love seeing the world through his eyes, love how invested he is with humans.
All in all a confusing read, I striggled through a lot of it and yet couldn't stop thinking about it.
sunrays118's review
4.0
This was quite the book.
I have a lot of thoughts on this book because there was a lot to this book.
To begin, the writing itself was beautiful. There are few books that are as poetically written as this one. The language creates a sense of place and a feeling that completely surrounds you. You fall in love with the words. Time slows down, the pace is deliberately slow and keeps you in this other world.
The story was original and gorgeous. Told through a fictional narrator translating/retelling a story from a crow. The story travels forever, through incredible worlds. It is hard to not feel a part of the worlds being described. It is so clear and so vivid.
I hate to even write the few troubles I felt were contained in the book because it was such a gorgeous read but there were a few. The characters themselves are quite weak. There are only two characters that hold any weight. The story line, which began so strong, weakens with every single chapter. Part One is by far the success of the book. With each subsequent section, the book loses itself and the reader a bit more. Something about the magic trickles out as the book goes on which does mirror some of the story line but not as much as to keep the reader. At parts, particularly in section three, the book began to feel like a writing prompt that simply never ended. I wanted more, I wanted to feel that magic again, to have the language rush over me, but I felt a bit pushed away by certain sections.
In the end, I would highly recommend the book and think it is quite special.
I have a lot of thoughts on this book because there was a lot to this book.
To begin, the writing itself was beautiful. There are few books that are as poetically written as this one. The language creates a sense of place and a feeling that completely surrounds you. You fall in love with the words. Time slows down, the pace is deliberately slow and keeps you in this other world.
The story was original and gorgeous. Told through a fictional narrator translating/retelling a story from a crow. The story travels forever, through incredible worlds. It is hard to not feel a part of the worlds being described. It is so clear and so vivid.
I hate to even write the few troubles I felt were contained in the book because it was such a gorgeous read but there were a few. The characters themselves are quite weak. There are only two characters that hold any weight. The story line, which began so strong, weakens with every single chapter. Part One is by far the success of the book. With each subsequent section, the book loses itself and the reader a bit more. Something about the magic trickles out as the book goes on which does mirror some of the story line but not as much as to keep the reader. At parts, particularly in section three, the book began to feel like a writing prompt that simply never ended. I wanted more, I wanted to feel that magic again, to have the language rush over me, but I felt a bit pushed away by certain sections.
In the end, I would highly recommend the book and think it is quite special.
grayjay's review
2.0
A very dreamy, mythic story of a crow and his journeying alongside various humans and animals, exploring and embodying death.
I found it difficult to care much about Dar Oakley throughout the novel because the narrative thread is so loose and thin. The rules of the narrative are made and broken so many times I lost my trust in the narrator. Dar Oakley will do some interesting things and learn a lesson in one lifetime, but then forget it all in the next...but then remember it later? The book could have been about a third shorter.
I found it difficult to care much about Dar Oakley throughout the novel because the narrative thread is so loose and thin. The rules of the narrative are made and broken so many times I lost my trust in the narrator. Dar Oakley will do some interesting things and learn a lesson in one lifetime, but then forget it all in the next...but then remember it later? The book could have been about a third shorter.
aranafyre's review
4.0
This book is excellent. Not what I was expecting though. I loved the exploration of death and stories and life throughout all of Dar Oakleys tales. The frame was also very interesting. A sick man whose wife has died finds a sick crow in his yard. The crow tells him of his many lives. I think the first section was just a bit too long otherwise I would have given this a five star rating.