(Feel free to disagree with me. The world's a big place and has room for all kinds of opinions. This is my site so I am going to feel free to say how I felt about it.)
What an awful book. I know many people just love Maguire's works. I guess I am not one. He writes in such a fashion that I feel he attempts a loftiness that isn't even legitimate. There are times when I reread a sentence that he has written and struggle with calling it a sentence even. 
This is the fourth book of his that I have read. I am not finding that I like his work more; rather I like it less. I suppose this proves that the way he writes just does not suit me. This particular title, though, was just awful. The dwarves were not real, rather, they were something like animated stones that then became sort-of-real. What's up with that? I found it odd and awkward to try to figure out what he was attempting with that concept. At the end of the book it just ended. There really seemed to be no plot at all; just a long drawn-out story-line. It was really quite dissatisfying.
I read this one and Wicked. I was underwhelmed by both. In Mirror, Mirror, I kept waiting for something to happen: it never did. I think people like the idea of rewriting fairy tales or well-known stories so much that they don't notice that his prose his flat and his narratives long-winded. Also, I think the fact that people just love the musical Wicked but not so much the book Wicked speaks volumes about what popular audiences look for in a re-written fairy tale. The musical is about pretty & ugly, and Americans like that theme. The book is about class warfare, and Americans in particular don't like that theme at all.
ReplyDeleteHappy to have you here, Amanda!
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I've been meaning to bend your ear with the subject of Maguire's writing. I knew you were sure to have something to say.
In fact, I saw the musical more than a few times. It doesn't bother me to see them more than once. Sure, I could have seen others that I hadn't seen but I went with people who were visiting us in London so I didn't mind at all.
The stageshow is much more interesting than the book and finishes much more quickly. Still, I enjoyed Hairspray more and my favorite was Jersey Boys.
Anyway, no one can say that I haven't read enough of his works; I believe I have...enough even.
I haven't read any of his. I think, Ang, you are one of my book gurus and I will not be reading any of his too soon. Good post. Belle
ReplyDeleteBelle I think that is a good decision for you. I think you'd be very dismayed by Maguire's blatant
ReplyDeletelewdness.