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A review by billymac1962
Ill Will by Dan Chaon
4.0
I'm not entirely sure what I want to say about this one.
Ill Will stayed on my to-read list for a few years, despite the lowish 3.36 average rating (this despite raves from critics). It was those raves that made it stick on my list, plus the fact that I loved the only other book I had read of his, Await Your Reply.
Having finished the book, I can certainly understand the low ratings from a lot of readers. While the story does mostly resolve at the end, there are some things that are left for the reader to assume. And that's okay. I think the obvious assumptions do apply and I'm alright (except for the damn emojis) with not having those one or two things spelled out for me. Another problem that people seemed to have was with some of Chaon's style. Dustin's incomplete sentences didn't bother me because this was how he spoke. Heck, I do the same thing sometimes. I've just never seen it displayed in writing like this before. Again, okay.
People also took issue with his approach of having two or three columns of simultaneous narrative on the same page. Count me as one of them. I have very little time for printing gymnastics, especially when it's an abysmally awkward presentation on my Kindle.
Stephen King has done this on occasion and it irks me when he does it, too.
Just tell me the story.
There are definite positives, though. This was a highly propulsive read by sheer virtue of solid character development and two mysterious storylines that begged resolution.
I finished this book last night and I am still thinking about it. There was a lot to these characters and this story, but I have lingering resentment over some of the issues I've mentioned.
He's a very good writer. If you haven't read him, I highly recommend Await Your Reply.
My feelings are mixed about this one, and yet, I can't give it less than four stars, and it is very close to being the most reluctant 5 stars I've ever given.
Ill Will stayed on my to-read list for a few years, despite the lowish 3.36 average rating (this despite raves from critics). It was those raves that made it stick on my list, plus the fact that I loved the only other book I had read of his, Await Your Reply.
Having finished the book, I can certainly understand the low ratings from a lot of readers. While the story does mostly resolve at the end, there are some things that are left for the reader to assume. And that's okay. I think the obvious assumptions do apply and I'm alright (except for the damn emojis) with not having those one or two things spelled out for me. Another problem that people seemed to have was with some of Chaon's style. Dustin's incomplete sentences didn't bother me because this was how he spoke. Heck, I do the same thing sometimes. I've just never seen it displayed in writing like this before. Again, okay.
People also took issue with his approach of having two or three columns of simultaneous narrative on the same page. Count me as one of them. I have very little time for printing gymnastics, especially when it's an abysmally awkward presentation on my Kindle.
Stephen King has done this on occasion and it irks me when he does it, too.
Just tell me the story.
There are definite positives, though. This was a highly propulsive read by sheer virtue of solid character development and two mysterious storylines that begged resolution.
I finished this book last night and I am still thinking about it. There was a lot to these characters and this story, but I have lingering resentment over some of the issues I've mentioned.
He's a very good writer. If you haven't read him, I highly recommend Await Your Reply.
My feelings are mixed about this one, and yet, I can't give it less than four stars, and it is very close to being the most reluctant 5 stars I've ever given.