A review by jonwesleyhuff
The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen
4.0
I bought this on a whim at a bookstore. I'm always up for something a little different and experimental and the premise sounded interesting. I don't think the format is quite as earth-shatteringly original as some people believe but there's a lot of fun to be had in the interplay between the text and the illustration that allows this to be more then just a book-selling gimmick and have a real resonance in the story.
I definitely came to care about the main character. Sometimes this was in spite of how the book presented him. The knowledge T.S. exhibits and the insight he has into the world around him seems to vary depending on the needs of the story and what the view the writer wants to espouse at any given moment. There are times when these shifts prevent the reader from fully connecting with T.S. because he feels less like a human being and more like a writer's creation. But more often then not I was willing to overlook these rough moments because I was enjoying myself too much.
Like many books about a journey, the build-up ends up being more exciting then the payoff, but the ending has it's share of other pleasures. I think this might effect some reader's enjoyment of the book. The journey itself seems to be given relatively short shrift. T.S. really only makes two stops on his journey to the east. Much of the journey is spent on the back story of a distant relative. I will admit at first I found this a bit of an intrusion. I was far more interested in T.S. and his journey then this new set of characters that are introduced. But soon I was drawn into this secondary story, and of course by the end you realize that you're not REALLY reading a new story at all. In fact, much of the emotional resolution that readers might be looking for at the end of the book takes place here.
There are times when the tone of the book suddenly shifts - it gets a bit broader or darker then you might expect - but as long as you are willing to hold on a bit tighter during these moments you'll come through relatively unscathed and the world of the book is painted in broad enough strokes that these moments don't feel completely out of place.
The book is actually a fairly easy read as you're going through it, however it does require that the reader make some connections for themselves. Not to worry though as there are plenty of pretty obvious clues along the way. The ending does feel rushed, but in some ways it mimics the whirlwind of activity that awaits T.S. in the east very well. The ending felt a bit abrupt and left me with a lot of questions. But after a bit of reflection the pieces came together and I realized that most of them are answered, though perhaps not definitively, throughout the book.
I don't think this book would be to the tastes of every reader. It can be a bit precious and clever and the author's not afraid to take a moment and step-up on a soap box. Some people will find these more irritating than others. For me, I'm okay with these elements as long as the story stays interesting and I think "The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet" succeeded in that area. Although not perfect, there's a lot to admire about the book and ultimately I thought it was a journey well worth taking.
I definitely came to care about the main character. Sometimes this was in spite of how the book presented him. The knowledge T.S. exhibits and the insight he has into the world around him seems to vary depending on the needs of the story and what the view the writer wants to espouse at any given moment. There are times when these shifts prevent the reader from fully connecting with T.S. because he feels less like a human being and more like a writer's creation. But more often then not I was willing to overlook these rough moments because I was enjoying myself too much.
Like many books about a journey, the build-up ends up being more exciting then the payoff, but the ending has it's share of other pleasures. I think this might effect some reader's enjoyment of the book. The journey itself seems to be given relatively short shrift. T.S. really only makes two stops on his journey to the east. Much of the journey is spent on the back story of a distant relative. I will admit at first I found this a bit of an intrusion. I was far more interested in T.S. and his journey then this new set of characters that are introduced. But soon I was drawn into this secondary story, and of course by the end you realize that you're not REALLY reading a new story at all. In fact, much of the emotional resolution that readers might be looking for at the end of the book takes place here.
There are times when the tone of the book suddenly shifts - it gets a bit broader or darker then you might expect - but as long as you are willing to hold on a bit tighter during these moments you'll come through relatively unscathed and the world of the book is painted in broad enough strokes that these moments don't feel completely out of place.
The book is actually a fairly easy read as you're going through it, however it does require that the reader make some connections for themselves. Not to worry though as there are plenty of pretty obvious clues along the way. The ending does feel rushed, but in some ways it mimics the whirlwind of activity that awaits T.S. in the east very well. The ending felt a bit abrupt and left me with a lot of questions. But after a bit of reflection the pieces came together and I realized that most of them are answered, though perhaps not definitively, throughout the book.
I don't think this book would be to the tastes of every reader. It can be a bit precious and clever and the author's not afraid to take a moment and step-up on a soap box. Some people will find these more irritating than others. For me, I'm okay with these elements as long as the story stays interesting and I think "The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet" succeeded in that area. Although not perfect, there's a lot to admire about the book and ultimately I thought it was a journey well worth taking.