Mark Danielewski’s “Only Revolutions”

So excited for this – great article there about Danielewski, So excited to read his new book Only Revolutions: A Novel.

I have never written a post on House of Leaves – and I really should. Anyone who has read it (and loved it, I mean) will know what I’m talking about when I say – it’s one of the most unforgettable (and weird and terrifying) reading experiences I’ve ever had. I’m sure some people found it irritating – or they just didn’t like how HARD the book is to read – like: you actually have to write stuff down in order to understand things, you sometimes need to hold it up to a mirror to see the print, the vocabulary is DAUNTING – I have a great vocabulary, but you definitely need a dictionary close by – blah blah …

But I absolutely ate it UP. Could NOT put it down.

The gimmick of the book (all the codes, and backwards writing, and Rorschach blot shapes, and having to turn the back upside down) does not at all detract from the true heart of the story – and THAT is why I found the book so damn incredible. With all the footnotes, and footnotes to footnotes, and certain words being habitually crossed out, and the print suddenly getting small, one word a page – or whatever (and it all makes sense, emotionally – none of it seems random) – but still – even with all that: it’s a story with a narrator you give a crap about, and it also is one of the most frightening books I have ever read. I actually had nightmares while reading it. The only other book (or story) that that has EVER given me nightmares was Stephen King’s long story “The Mist” – which I still feel like I can’t face reading again. Too scary!

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