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"Specimen Days" by Michael Cunningham is a unique book that pleasantly surprised me, despite my initial reservations due to its poetic inspiration from Walt Whitman. As someone who isn't a fan of poetry, I was worried about how much I would enjoy a book influenced by poetry. However, I quickly realized that the connection to Whitman's work in this book doesn't require an appreciation of poetry; it's something that any reader can easily connect with.
The structure of the book, consisting of three novellas set in New York and featuring characters with similar names and roles, as well as recurring artifacts, creates a compelling and intriguing puzzle for the reader. This narrative structure reminded me of one of my all-time favorites, "Cloud Atlas", adding to my overall enjoyment.
The first novella, "In the Machine," set in the 19th century during the industrial age, initially felt slow and somewhat weak, portraying a bleak view of the era. I wasn't sure what to expect at first. However, the subsequent novellas, "The Children's Crusade," a contemporary detective story set in New York, and "Like Beauty," a gripping post-apocalyptic science fiction thriller, picked up the pace and kept me engaged. Among the three, "Like Beauty" was my favorite, offering an immersive and thought-provoking experience.
While I did become engrossed in the stories as they progressed, I can't say I fully enjoyed them. All three novellas leave readers with open-ended conclusions, and the protagonists often find themselves denied their desires and left frustrated, which I found somewhat pessimistic. While I understand that the author may have intended to convey that the characters gained something, even if it wasn't precisely what they sought, I couldn't help but long for more closure. This sense of incomplete resolution left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, and I would have appreciated more resolution in the narrative.
In summary, "Specimen Days" is a book that defied my initial expectations, with its diverse narratives and the enigmatic connections between them. While I didn't fully connect with the stories and found the lack of closure somewhat unsatisfying, I appreciated the creativity and thought-provoking nature of the book. I would rate it three out of five stars, as it left me intrigued but ultimately wanting more closure in its storytelling.
The structure of the book, consisting of three novellas set in New York and featuring characters with similar names and roles, as well as recurring artifacts, creates a compelling and intriguing puzzle for the reader. This narrative structure reminded me of one of my all-time favorites, "Cloud Atlas", adding to my overall enjoyment.
The first novella, "In the Machine," set in the 19th century during the industrial age, initially felt slow and somewhat weak, portraying a bleak view of the era. I wasn't sure what to expect at first. However, the subsequent novellas, "The Children's Crusade," a contemporary detective story set in New York, and "Like Beauty," a gripping post-apocalyptic science fiction thriller, picked up the pace and kept me engaged. Among the three, "Like Beauty" was my favorite, offering an immersive and thought-provoking experience.
While I did become engrossed in the stories as they progressed, I can't say I fully enjoyed them. All three novellas leave readers with open-ended conclusions, and the protagonists often find themselves denied their desires and left frustrated, which I found somewhat pessimistic. While I understand that the author may have intended to convey that the characters gained something, even if it wasn't precisely what they sought, I couldn't help but long for more closure. This sense of incomplete resolution left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, and I would have appreciated more resolution in the narrative.
In summary, "Specimen Days" is a book that defied my initial expectations, with its diverse narratives and the enigmatic connections between them. While I didn't fully connect with the stories and found the lack of closure somewhat unsatisfying, I appreciated the creativity and thought-provoking nature of the book. I would rate it three out of five stars, as it left me intrigued but ultimately wanting more closure in its storytelling.
