Books matching: surreal exploration of identity
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- #1
Save:The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami is a surreal and intricate novel that follows the life of Toru Okada, who embarks on a quest to find his missing cat, only to later face the disappearance of his wife. As the story unfolds, Toru encounters a myriad of strange characters and delves into dreamlike sequences that blur the lines between reality and illusion. The narrative weaves together elements of magical realism, philosophy, human emotions, and war, creating a complex and intriguing storyline that keeps readers engaged throughout the book.
When the phone rang I was in the kitchen, boiling a potful of spaghetti and whistling along with an FM broadcast of the overture to Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie, which has to be the perfect music for... - #2
Save:'The Double' by Fyodor Dostoyevsky revolves around the protagonist, Mr. Golyadkin, who starts seeing his doppelganger, his double, slowly taking over his life, job, and friends. As the story progresses, Mr. Golyadkin descends into madness and is eventually institutionalized. The narrative explores themes of paranoia, obsession, societal anxieties, and the blurred lines between reality and delusion. Dostoyevsky's writing style in this novella is described as chaotic, fractured, and purposely choppy, creating a sense of unease and disorientation for the reader.
It was a little before eight o'clock in the morning when Yakov Petrovitch Golyadkin, a titular councillor, woke up from a long sleep. He yawned, stretched, and at last opened his eyes completely. For ... - #3
Save:'Lost Highway' seems to be a complex and enigmatic work that challenges reality and narrative conventions. It is described as a non-linear narrative that weaves together different storylines, creating a dreamlike and unsettling atmosphere similar to the author's cinematic works. The plot involves mysterious and surreal elements, with themes of love, conflict, and uncertainty scattered throughout the narrative.
"Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town" by Cory Doctorow is a dark and surreal tale that follows the life of Alan, a man with a mountain for a father and a washing machine for a mother. The story weaves between alternate reality, dysfunctional family dynamics, and the quest to provide free WiFi to a neighborhood. The narrative is filled with bizarre characters, magical realism, and unexpected twists, creating a unique blend of contemporary fantasy and technological fiction. Doctorow's writing style is engaging, with jumps in timeline and strange elements that keep readers captivated as they delve into Alan's world of eccentricity and mystery.
Alan sanded the house on Wales Avenue. It took six months, and the whole time it was the smell of the sawdust, ancient and sweet, and the reek of chemical stripper and the damp smell of rusting steel ...- #5
Save:Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson is a surreal and imaginative novel that challenges the linearity of time. The story follows the adventures of Dog Woman and her adopted son Jordan, blending elements of myth, fairy tales, and magical realism. The narrative jumps between different characters, times, and realities, creating a fluid and non-linear plot that explores themes of gender, class, time, and identity. Winterson's writing style is described as poetic, philosophical, and evocative, with a knack for vivid imagery and rich storytelling.
At first the Civil War hardly touched us. Opinions were ugh, and there were those like Preacher Scroggs and Neighbour Firebrace who would have taken any opportunity to feel themselves above the common... - #6
Save:'The Life of Insects' by Victor Pelevin is a thought-provoking and surreal exploration of human nature through the lens of anthropomorphic insects and insectomorphic humans. The book follows a series of loosely connected chapters set in a seaside resort town, delving into existential questions and societal commentary. The writing style is described as both dark and filled with a singular kind of hopelessness, blending two worlds into a disorienting narrative that challenges readers to reflect on their own biological, social, and emotional destinies.
- #7
Save:In 'All the Names' by Jose Saramago, the main character, Senhor Jos, works as a clerk at a town registry holding records of mostly dead individuals. A chance misplacement of a death record leads him to develop an obsession for learning more about a dead woman he never knew, sparking a solo investigation into her life and circumstances around her untimely death. Despite the gloomy backdrop of Jos's constrained freedom and powerlessness, the narrative is dry yet thought-provoking, exploring themes of isolation, identity, and the struggle between order and chaos in a bureaucratic world.
- #8
Save:In Metropole, Budai, a Hungarian linguist, finds himself in a strange city after boarding the wrong plane. Despite his language skills, he struggles to communicate with the city's inhabitants and navigate the chaotic urban environment. The novel explores themes of language barriers, urban life, and the frustration of being unable to connect with others in a foreign place, creating a nightmarish and Kafkaesque experience for the protagonist.
Budai's journey in Metropole is a surreal exploration of the challenges of communication, isolation, and survival in a city where he is constantly misunderstood and unable to grasp the local customs. The book delves into the protagonist's futile attempts to navigate the unfamiliar city, highlighting the absurdity and humor in his struggles as he grapples with the overwhelming environment and his own desperation.
Looking back on it later it could only have happened because Budai had gone through the wrong door in the confusion at the transit lounge and, having mistaken an exit sign, found himself on a plane bo... "Gould's Book of Fish: A Novel in Twelve Fish" by Richard Flanagan is a sprawling and grotesque post-modern masterpiece set in a fictional version of 19th century Tasmania. The novel follows William Bulow Gould, a con man and convict in Tasmania's brutal prison system, as he finds purpose and identity as a fraudulent artist. The book delves into the surreal and incredulous incarceration of Gould, blending historical characters, allegorical figures, and fantasy versions of real people in a narrative that weds cacophonous digressions with magical realism.
The story is a mix of meditations and wild stories, jumping back and forth through time, each scene more outlandish than the last. The narrative unfolds in a book within a book format, as the original illuminated text morphs into Gould's tumultuous journey, encountering other painters like John James Audubon along the way. The novel is described as a tragicomic, grotesque, and phantasmagoric tale that explores convict life, art, history, and nature in a unique and compelling manner.
Discovery of the Book of Fish—Fake furniture and faith healing—The Conga—Mr Hung and Moby Dick—Victor Hugo and God—A snowstorm—On why history and stories have nothing in common—The book disappears—Dea...- #10
Save:The Society of Others by William Nicholson is a philosophical and surreal novel that follows an unnamed English man on a journey of self-discovery in an Eastern European country. The book explores themes of existentialism, self-realization, and the nature of totalitarian societies. The writing style is described as multi-layered, captivating, and thought-provoking, with elements of stream of consciousness, fable, and modernism.
I’m writing this by the light of a new day, with a pen on paper, the old way. No seamless corrections possible here. I want to see my first thoughts, and the words I cross out, and the words I choose ...
