Shoplifting from American Apparel by Tao Lin.

"Much in the way that Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace left me feeling at loose ends and confused, so did Tao Lin's novella. But perhaps that was the point. It was something fleeting, temporary, but thought provoking enough to make you stop and think and wonder about what you just read. I'm honestly not sure."

2 Stars

Pros: It definitely painted a pretty accurate picture of the younger generation of today, constantly on their phones/email/Disinterested, aloof.

Cons: I couldn't tell if this was satire or not and it left me feeling a little lost. Much like Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

Full Review:

This novel follows the life of a young, writer. He often feels lost, at loose ends and unsure as to what to do with himself. He chats with his friends on GMail Chat, goes from place to place and never seems to really set roots anywhere. The relationships he has are fleeting though he seems to genuinely like the people he chooses to sleep with. But after awhile, the passion burns out and he ends up saying things that he regrets. As a whole, the narrative is just off, strange, hard to pin point and those are basically the feelings I had after finishing this book.

I wasn't sure if it was satire, a spoof on the youth of today, or if it was supposed to be enlightening. I finished the book and just kind of blinked. I didn't enjoy it but at the same time I didn't hate it. It just kind of there, something that I had read, come into my life and I finished it. And perhaps, that's the whole meaning, that life is fleeting, the time we have here is temporary and unless we make an attempt, our life will pass us by without us knowing.

Comments

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage. 2 Stars Pros: Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel. Cons: Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end. Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick

“Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter who's on the trail of six "Andys" (Androids) who have come to Earth illegally. His job is to track them down and "retire" them. Something he found easy to do until he met her, Rachael Rosen. The Android that does the impossible, passes the "Voight-Kampff" test. The story quickly devolves into a slow, drawn out and frankly boring mystery that was putting me to sleep by the end." ⭐⭐ Pros: I was more interested in comparing it to the film, "Bladerunner."/At first I kind of liked the drab, dreary atmostphere but it soon became soporific. Cons: I had no real idea what was going on with Mercerism/The end there had me blinking in bewilderment, like with Herbert's 29th Dune Book/There was a lot of idle chit-chat while they were in murderous/intense situations, it just seemed odd. Full Review: Rick Deckard, a Bounty Hunter, contracted with the San Francisco Police Department hunts down and retires rogue ...

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