allyoop's review against another edition
3.0
What a trip. It starts off a little dull, but amusing, because there’s expert-level trolling of a young child. (It’s funny, and I imagine it would go over the heads of little kids. Was that the author’s intent?) Then the little boy does some heavy drugs, and everybody starts hardcore tripping. (I did expect it to be a “it was all a dream” ploy, and that is irritating. But I believe it can interpreted both ways. At the end of the book the dad basically says, “boy, if you’re going to be gone for six months at a time, maybe you shouldn’t be going back to that shop.” Good stuff. Vague enough so can believe everything happened exactly as described if you want to.)
So, yes, it had its unexpected, fantastic quirks. I think my favorite was how our heroes were doing battle with bloodthirsty pirates and groups of scholars for the Institute of Piratical Research (?) were pitching a fit because they wouldn’t have any specimens left for their exhibits. However, the crux of the book seems to be relying on people’s desires to change their flaws, and kind of showcases that as a positive. The ugly single aunt gets to be beautiful with children, the hunchback gets a straight back, the dumb-witted fool gets intelligence, etc. And they only agree to give up their gifts (with reluctance) because one member gets sick, and that’s the only way to save him.
Ultimately, the point of their whole endeavor is to “be normal”, and the book kind of teaches that’s the best way to be. (I got irked with how often it was mention that it’s such a shame the aunt is so nice, but so ugly -therefore she could never be married.) In my opinion, the author needed to keep up with his whimsy and retool the final theme a bit.
So if that were changed, I’d recommend this book quite highly just for its sneaky wit.
So, yes, it had its unexpected, fantastic quirks. I think my favorite was how our heroes were doing battle with bloodthirsty pirates and groups of scholars for the Institute of Piratical Research (?) were pitching a fit because they wouldn’t have any specimens left for their exhibits. However, the crux of the book seems to be relying on people’s desires to change their flaws, and kind of showcases that as a positive. The ugly single aunt gets to be beautiful with children, the hunchback gets a straight back, the dumb-witted fool gets intelligence, etc. And they only agree to give up their gifts (with reluctance) because one member gets sick, and that’s the only way to save him.
Ultimately, the point of their whole endeavor is to “be normal”, and the book kind of teaches that’s the best way to be. (I got irked with how often it was mention that it’s such a shame the aunt is so nice, but so ugly -therefore she could never be married.) In my opinion, the author needed to keep up with his whimsy and retool the final theme a bit.
So if that were changed, I’d recommend this book quite highly just for its sneaky wit.
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