This book was recommended to me by a trusted source (my Dad) with whom I often share books with. He said this was a brilliant novel, so I picked it up secondhand and looked forward to reading it, as I expected to love it too.
My problems started with the first chapter. I slowly turned the pages but found something in the writing style disagreeable, it's just. so. slow. The book opens with war invalid Inman in hospital, so I assumed that perhaps it was simply a case of needing to 'get in to the story', many a good book has proved a struggle initially, so I was prepared to give this one the benefit of the doubt, even if it felt like staring in to space on the tube was preferable to reading it.
But try as I might, I could not enjoy it. Quarter of the way through, half way through, I was no more interested or enthusiastic. By now I knew of Ada, Inman's love interest back at home and struggling to run the farm following her father's death. I knew that Inman was trekking back across the mountain to meet her. This is ALL you need to know. The characters are flat, bland in their 3rd person narratives. Why is Inman facing death on a daily basis? Why does he keep up the journey? I still don't know! He barely speaks, let alone explain the motive for such a mission. Similarly Ada, bar one letter at the beginning, reveals nothing of her heart's desires- unrealistic for a young girl.
If the characterisation wasn't enough to upset me, Frazier also decides to avoid a linear plot, instead choosing to meander through 'episodes' concerning strangers. These bear little or no relevance to anything, and I got bored of reading monologues from folk I would never hear of again. I like to get to know my characters. It was so bad, that one day to the next I would faithfully take out the book on my commute and forget who or what I was reading about; it jumps from scene and characters with no reason.
I did a brief Google of this book, to see if others had thought the same, and couldn't believe the number of people giving it 5 stars 'best book I've ever read', 'the most beautiful book I've ever read'...there is much discussion of the detailed representation of the scenery, but for me, this is what made it so difficult to read. The descriptions are hyperbolic, but not in a good lofty way, the words seem trundling pointless, too high in concentration when there is no real plot movement. Page upon page, I suffered blocky paragraphs rambling on pretentious nonsense about the natural world. I'm ashamed to admit it, but it got to the point where I skimmed read pages and whole chapters.
I did finish the book, but it took me weeks. I find it incredible that it has such acclaim; clearly my Dad is not the only one who enjoyed it, the blogs would suggest that I am the anomaly! It's amazing how subjective reading is.
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