House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

[jonzr]

Just finished this and am not sure what I think yet.  A strange book to be sure.  Has anyone else read it?  There's a board for it and theories abound.  The author ain't saying jack though.  But the board is a useful tool to help in deciphering clues, etc.

It was interesting and chilling at first but it started to lose my interest as it sort of unraveled towards the end but maybe that was intended.  Or maybe it was that my interest was held while I read some each day but waned after returning to it a week later.  Perhaps it needs to sit and roll around in my head for a bit.

[Finnegans Wake]

Friend of mine loved it, been on my Amazon list for ~2 years now.  Sounds interesting but confounding.  Will still probably check it out.

[jonzr]

I'm still pondering it so that says something.  It was a generally enjoyable read and many people on the HoL mb have read it multiple times.  Maybe I'll return to it someday and have a different perspective, but I don't usually reread stuff when there's so much stuff unread.  But I guess that's kind of stupid, if one enjoys a book he should probably reread it.  Not like a person can read everything anyways, eh?

[Finnegans Wake]

I succumbed to peer pressure and ordered.

Also ordered two more Murakami novels, as I'm finishing Kafka on the Shore.  KoS has some of the same weird shit that 1Q84 did, but it's a totally different book.  Definitely enjoying his style so far though. 

[Finnegans Wake]

So, just finished my third Murakami novel (A Wild Sheep Chase), which started off rather un-Murakami-like, which is to say, sort of a straight narrative in the mystery genre.  Then came the mutant sheep that does some sort of psychic possession slash Mephistophelean deal, and his dead friend who maybe has or maybe hasn't done in the mutant sheep via his own suicide and ... well, it was either time to crack a fourth Murakami (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) or HoL.  Had a case of the Vapors and thought I was turning Japanese, so just started HoL. 

Hoping it's not too gimmicky, maybe an Eco of Borges amidst the cuteness of all the footnotes, etc., which for the most part drive me mad in modern novels.

[jonzr]

A major part of the narrative is in the footnotes.  It's a weird book but I enjoyed it.  Have been reading Peter Watts' 4 book Rifter Trilogy:  Starfish, Maelstrom, Behemoth: B-Max (current) and Behemoth:  Seppuku.  They've been some great scifi, I love Watts' style, he's a terrific writer.

[Finnegans Wake]

How many books have the idea that a house is larger on the inside than it is on the outside?  HoL, but also John Crowley's Little, Big.  Any other suggestions, the Tardis notwithstanding? 

[jonzr]

Haven't heard of Little, Big so I guess the Tardis and a bag of holding are the only non-math references I know.  I'm interested to know your opinion of some character and plot issues, etc after you finish.

[pensodyssey]

How many books have the idea that a house is larger on the inside than it is on the outside?  HoL, but also John Crowley's Little, Big.  Any other suggestions, the Tardis notwithstanding? 

There's that Borges story about the endlessly expanding library, forget the title now.  And in The Trial, buildings seem to expand in the attic space.

[Finnegans Wake]

How many books have the idea that a house is larger on the inside than it is on the outside?  HoL, but also John Crowley's Little, Big.  Any other suggestions, the Tardis notwithstanding? 

There's that Borges story about the endlessly expanding library, forget the title now.  And in The Trial, buildings seem to expand in the attic space.

Remember that Borges story and also forget the title.