Thursday, July 03, 2014

"Who Could That Be at This Hour?" by Lemony Snicket

This is a beautiful-looking book. The paper is thick, the typography is compelling and the drawings by Seth seem to fit the tone of the book. Under the dustcover, the hardback is simply but elegant, with a nice, somewhat "retro" silhouette gracing the front, and a wonderful font in rusty orange announcing the title (but only in initials) on the spine.

The problem, though (probably my problem, rather than a problem inherent in the book), is that I couldn't follow the story. It was either because of the style of the writing (that I would enigmatically describe as "stylistic") or the fact that I read the book over a rather long period of time. In any case, I had trouble with the plot and the characters: I couldn't keep them straight. Being that the book is for a younger audience does not make my self-esteem any higher.

All of this being said, I look forward to reading this book again, and I look forward to reading the next instalment. If anything, the book is a pleasure to physically read: the pages are thick, the type is large and well-placed on the page. The book feels good in one's hand and every page turn is a pleasurable experience. I look forward to having that pleasure translate to the narrative on the page.

I find it strange that I couldn't follow what was going on. This is somewhat unusual for someone like me. Obviously, I'll need to try this particular book again. I look forward to it.

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