Structured around a syllabus for a Great Works of Literature class, this mesmerizing debut, uncannily uniting the trials of a postmodern upbringing with a murder mystery, heralds the arrival of a vibrant new voice in literary fiction.
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Structured around a syllabus for a Great Works of Literature class, this mesmerizing debut, uncannily uniting the trials of a postmodern upbringing with a murder mystery, heralds the arrival of a vibrant new voice in literary fiction.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 528 p. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 528 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 528 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Seller's Description:
Fair. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are solid. the cover is intact, but may show scuffs or light creases, as well as a possible rolled corner. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, The former owner may have written their name inside the front or back cover. COVER WILL VARY.
This novel, organized linearly (for the most part), but with homage to several other literary works, is simple genius. On the surface, it's a story about an unusual adolescence. In the next layer, it's a wonderful mystery. The deepest layer, however, is left for the astute reader to absorb, and I am still doing so!
faithanns
Dec 9, 2008
Not my fav
Well, I must say that in the beginning, I enjoyed the writer's style.....a lot of details and kinda funny. But, after pages and pages of it, I started to get frustrated. I wanted to know more hard facts, more plot info, etc. In the end, the book was not all that bad, but not my favorite. The ending was more interesting than I thought it could be though.
LizT
Jan 16, 2008
A disappointment
The ridiculous referencing of way too many things was the best thing about this book. Once arriving in their chosen town for the year, the book quickly degenerated into a bad "The Secret History" clone. Which I proceeded to trudge through for approximately 360 pages to get to: The murder plot, which was interesting until it turned into a painfully contrived and ridiculous conspiracy theory. (Though I did like one of the murder methods.) This book promised much and, for the most part, failed to deliver. And my word, the woman needs an effective editor.
KimberlyL
Oct 26, 2007
Page turning and witty...yet strangely forgettable
Interesting and well written...but ultimately unsatisfying. I tore through this book in 24 hours and found there were moments of absolute brilliance. I read other reviews and found that some readers were annoyed by author Pessl's endless references to entirely made up texts but I simply found that to be part of the story's charm and the author's incredible creativity. There were really so many compelling components to this book that I wanted to recommend it and have...yet the characters are largely forgettable and I was left feeling empty at the end of the book. I've never had such a mixed reaction. But read it for yourself and find out! You may have a completely different take on it.
genevalove
Apr 4, 2007
Smart and suspenseful fiction
The narrator of this book, Blue Van Meer, is the teenage daughter of an itinerant political science professor--they never live in the same place for more than a few months. Her rootless existence and incredibly eclectic reading habits have given her a unique perspective on the world, and a ready comparison or analysis for almost any situation. When she finds herself taken under the wing of a mysterioso Intro to Film teacher named Hannah Schneider, however, Blue's life takes a number of unexpected turns, and she may have to solve a murder before heading for Harvard. Don't expect a neat resolution, but be prepared for a final exam.
