Octavian Nothing
For the last several days I have been riveted by an unabridged audio recording of "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation", which won the National Book Award for Young Readers last year. A year or two ago, I read another novel by the author, MT Anderson, "Feed". Although I admired that dystopian story in an abstract, literary way, it was hideously depressing.
Octavian Nothing has the same literary feel (in addition, it is written in 18th century language and style) and is also dark and tragic. But oh, it is gripping.
A Warning: If you ever pick up this story, don't read the back. Don't read a review. Every review I've seen has given far, far too much away. I was lucky - the back of the audio recording was intriguing, but innocuous. I began the story completely in the dark as to the nature of setting and character. How wonderful to immerse yourself in the story, perplexed and bewildered by the opening, unsure for more than a third of the book into which genre the story falls. How deeply satisfying to be lulled by the unreliable narrator, to learn, only as he learns, of the grim realities of his life.
I wonder if it was a better audio experience simply because of the rhythm of the language ... and I wonder if the same feel comes across in the quicker pace of silent reading. If someone reads - or has read - the book, I'd be interested to hear your impressions.
Octavian Nothing has the same literary feel (in addition, it is written in 18th century language and style) and is also dark and tragic. But oh, it is gripping.
A Warning: If you ever pick up this story, don't read the back. Don't read a review. Every review I've seen has given far, far too much away. I was lucky - the back of the audio recording was intriguing, but innocuous. I began the story completely in the dark as to the nature of setting and character. How wonderful to immerse yourself in the story, perplexed and bewildered by the opening, unsure for more than a third of the book into which genre the story falls. How deeply satisfying to be lulled by the unreliable narrator, to learn, only as he learns, of the grim realities of his life.
I wonder if it was a better audio experience simply because of the rhythm of the language ... and I wonder if the same feel comes across in the quicker pace of silent reading. If someone reads - or has read - the book, I'd be interested to hear your impressions.