I’ve got a birthday coming up. They are fun events: the anticipation for the day, maybe having a party, eating some cake, getting some presents. You know – the big payoff.
This book is filled with payoffs, and we get lots of big moments – so many that the moments start to be less meaningful. If you had birthday cake every day, I think the fun would wear off quickly.
I liked the way this book asks you to trust and go along for the ride. For the most part, the ride is enjoyable, with great elements like secret societies (several of them!), hidden stuff, solving puzzles, and clever situations involving cats and owls.
But also this book is a book of stories that are confusing (on purpose), and maybe it depends too much on the quirky humor and identifying with the socially awkward literary misfits. I often felt like the author was doing some “fan service” by including moments and name-dropping books and video games, sort of like a light version of Ready Player One.
I’m glad I read the book and enjoyed the moments that were significant, but after a while it was hard to tell which were actually significant. There are only so many times I can get excited about finding a secret entrance.
The book does kind of go on and on towards the end, not exactly sticking the landing. I sometimes felt a little more editing would be good.
So I’m squarely in the middle of the road on this one, maybe closer to like than dislike. Based on that faint praise you can decide if you’d like to read it.
Next I am reading a cookbook called Maangchi’s Read Korean cooking.
