tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post830613354319743891..comments2023-10-17T01:05:57.019-07:00Comments on The Literate Kitty: A Nightmare Without End: Abduction & the Long Road BackGlamKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13496553345220808400noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-80477810172763334302010-12-09T09:35:02.468-08:002010-12-09T09:35:02.468-08:00Yes, since I got the Kindle edition of Still Missi...Yes, since I got the Kindle edition of <i>Still Missing</i>, it's been recommended to me when I log into Amazon.<br /><br />DO. NOT. WANT.Cynical Nymphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601814894895238102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-61575905296739657342010-12-07T08:31:13.894-08:002010-12-07T08:31:13.894-08:00No! I just checked it out on Amazon, though, and h...No! I just checked it out on Amazon, though, and have to say... that looks incredibly disturbing. (The claustrophobic premise aside, I simply can't <i>imagine</i> never seeing/going outdoors. That thought just does me in...)<br />Have you read it, waltzinexile?GlamKittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13496553345220808400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-33529747840095894772010-12-07T06:33:55.732-08:002010-12-07T06:33:55.732-08:00Did either of you happen to read "Room" ...Did either of you happen to read "Room" yet...?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-68539634275884974382010-12-04T18:21:46.018-08:002010-12-04T18:21:46.018-08:00Uh, speaking of rereading comments, I just reread ...Uh, speaking of rereading comments, I just reread my most recent one, and I noticed the phrase "gets herself raped." Ummm. <i>That came out REALLY, REALLY WRONG.</i> FFS. I am horrible. You know that wording is completely not what I meant, but still, I am horrible.Cynical Nymphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601814894895238102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-34670215832956108952010-12-04T18:02:06.878-08:002010-12-04T18:02:06.878-08:00I need to reread my comment, because I enjoyed the...I need to reread my comment, because I enjoyed the pacing, <i>including</i> that in the latter part of the book. The surprising pacing was one of the book's strongest points, I thought. That, and what seemed to be the incredibly realistic portrayal of the psychological aftermath and recovery of what Annie went through. I also thought the conceit of having it as session notes was great. To know that Annie is relaying events that have already happened to her, not in the traditional past-tense sense, but that have already happened to the character <i>at this moment in the story</i>, and to still have the suspense and surprise? I think that speaks very well for the author.<br /><br />I think what may have bothered me more than anything was that I did enjoy this book, and part of me feels guilty for getting entertainment value out of a story in which these things happen. Sort of like the way I'd feel if I enjoyed watching torture porn films, you know? I <i>do not</i> enjoy watching torture porn films (like the Hostel films, e.g.), and I do not mean to suggest that this book was torture porn. On the contrary, the physical things that happened to Annie weren't described in near as much detail as I've seen comparable things described by, say, Dean Koontz. (Speaking of which - in high school we actually read one of his books in class. I forget the name, but this girl is sleeping over at her friend's house, and some guy breaks in, kills the whole family and rapes her friend. The heroine wants to figure out who he is, so she basically gets herself kidnapped by him. I don't think she herself gets raped, but <i>that book</i>? <i>That</i> was torture/rape porn. Ugh. I will never read anything by him again, and I couldn't believe they had us read it in school.) Anyway, I think that's my biggest problem with it. Seeing how I've never been through anything infinitesimally similar to what Annie goes through, I wasn't sure where to draw the line, so to speak, in the telling of the physical parts of what she went through.<br /><br />FWIW, I went through the same debate with myself about <i>She's Come Undone</i>, which is undoubtedly one of the more artistically accomplished books to come out of the late '90's, early '00's.Cynical Nymphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601814894895238102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-76134129723484385662010-12-04T13:28:12.600-08:002010-12-04T13:28:12.600-08:00I can understand- and agree to a certain extent wi...I can understand- and agree to a certain extent with- the issues you bring up, CN. There are, however, a couple of things which allow the work in its entirety to remain positive for me; namely, that I'm rarely completely surprised by anything that happens (in other words, I suspected the denouement, as it were--<i>you know what I mean, here</i>--fairly early in the story, so it didn't come across as a cheap trick to me), and that I have little trouble believing characters <i>really are that naive (dumb, misguided, or whatever)</i>, as to not know what I, as the reader, can see coming all too clearly. (The latter also goes to the "broad archetypes" you mention; I agree that a couple characters are rather stereotypical... but I've met enough people who honestly <i>do</i> embody all the traits of his/her respective stereotype, to feel that including such characters in the story isn't a fault of the author... it's merely a portrayal of one reality, however unsavory.) <br /><br />As for the pacing in the latter part of the book (while remaining un-spoilery, here), that worked for me. It was akin to a snowball rolling downhill--picking up both mass and speed on its way to the final destination, or to a carefully-arranged grouping of dominoes, if you prefer. Once she started learning things (whether she liked what she was finding out or not), everything started making a lot more sense, in a hurry. <br /><br />And about you, reading the whole thing in less than 24 hours?!? <i>In December?!?</i> (o_O) Holy cow, how I envy you the time, focus, and wherewithal!!GlamKittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13496553345220808400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-59378463186850623132010-12-03T21:20:42.913-08:002010-12-03T21:20:42.913-08:00Okay, so, I read it. I read it in under 24 hours,...Okay, so, I read it. I read it in under 24 hours, which of course says something. I thought the way she structured the story was quite novel, in that things didn't happen when I expected them to, but usually much earlier/later. (In a good way, I mean.)<br /><br />I did find the picture of the psychological aspect of her ordeal and its aftermath to be well-rounded and articulate, and emotionally compelling.<br /><br />But I couldn't shake the feeling that quite a lot of it was somewhat exploitative (first half) and manipulative (final third). There were some real nuances painted in throughout, but especially toward the end I felt some of the language and pacing and plot elements combined to be far too blunt. There were many things that were dealt with so deftly that when certain aspects (sorry I'm being so vague; I don't want to include spoilers) were dealt with in almost of of a surprise!sledgehammer way it really bothered me, either by making me feel like the author was pulling a bit of a cheap trick, or by taking me out of the story. The fact that several of the characters ended up being pretty broad archetypes was what bothered me most, I think, more than anything specific that happened in the story, in the end.<br /><br />Wow, how long was that last sentence I just wrote there?Cynical Nymphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601814894895238102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-73450098767045918032010-12-01T18:02:13.234-08:002010-12-01T18:02:13.234-08:00This is so much more, though, CN... more genuine, ...This is so much <i><b>more</b></i>, though, CN... more genuine, more raw, more brutal. The way in which the story is told--not as the usual first-person narrative but like an actual transcription of counseling sessions--gives it a real edge, and Annie's words--describing her self-awareness, her pain, her fear and frustration--have the power to cut like a knife. It's intense, and unlike anything I've read before.GlamKittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13496553345220808400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462125405045812864.post-65142012280401576732010-12-01T09:48:20.142-08:002010-12-01T09:48:20.142-08:00Oh my word. Just reading this review made me naus...Oh my word. Just reading this review made me nauseous. (Though I grant you, the post-nasal drip might have a tad to do with that, too.) How you got through a book about this, I just don't know. Lily Bard having a flashback of <i>one chapter</i> was bad enough.Cynical Nymphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601814894895238102noreply@blogger.com