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A review by lovelyliterary
How the Dead Live by Will Self
1.0
Actual rating 1.75 stars
I had to read this novel for a 20th century British Lit course, and I was thoroughly confused. I *think* I get what Self was trying to do here, but the execution was off for me. The book is probably 50-100 pages too long; there are just pages upon pages of fruitless narration.
The italicized Christmas 2001 sections were pointless, I felt, up until the actual last page, where we discover who was narrating and what that means. I felt lost throughout all these passages, and had no clue what was going on. Yes, thats the point of fiction sometimes, but usually there are hints or foreshadowing or even red herrings as to what’s going on. But there was nothing. I think Self could have done a better job at making those sections more understandable to the reader sooner on.
I had to read this novel for a 20th century British Lit course, and I was thoroughly confused. I *think* I get what Self was trying to do here, but the execution was off for me. The book is probably 50-100 pages too long; there are just pages upon pages of fruitless narration.
The italicized Christmas 2001 sections were pointless, I felt, up until the actual last page, where we discover who was narrating and what that means. I felt lost throughout all these passages, and had no clue what was going on. Yes, thats the point of fiction sometimes, but usually there are hints or foreshadowing or even red herrings as to what’s going on. But there was nothing. I think Self could have done a better job at making those sections more understandable to the reader sooner on.