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Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow
Written entirely on an iPhone, this quartet of YA novellas by Another Pan and Another Faust author Daniel Nayeri showcases four different genres.
This bold collection of novellas by Another series author Daniel Nayeri features four riveting tales. These modern riffs on classic genres will introduce young adult readers to a broad range of writing styles that explore universally compelling themes such as identity and belonging, betrayal and friendship, love and mortality.
Straw House: A Western sizzling with suspense, set in a land where a rancher grows soulless humans and a farmer grows living toys.
Wood House: This science-fiction tale plunges the reader into a future where reality and technology blend imperceptibly, and a teenage girl must race to save the world from a nano-revolution that a corporation calls "ReCreation Day."
Brick House: This detective story set in modern NYC features a squad of "wish police" and a team of unlikely detectives.
Blow: A comedic love story told by none other than Death himself, portrayed here as a handsome and charismatic hero who may steal your heart in more ways than one. With humor, suspense, and relatable prose, this hip and cutting-edge collection dazzles.
This bold collection of novellas by Another series author Daniel Nayeri features four riveting tales. These modern riffs on classic genres will introduce young adult readers to a broad range of writing styles that explore universally compelling themes such as identity and belonging, betrayal and friendship, love and mortality.
Straw House: A Western sizzling with suspense, set in a land where a rancher grows soulless humans and a farmer grows living toys.
Wood House: This science-fiction tale plunges the reader into a future where reality and technology blend imperceptibly, and a teenage girl must race to save the world from a nano-revolution that a corporation calls "ReCreation Day."
Brick House: This detective story set in modern NYC features a squad of "wish police" and a team of unlikely detectives.
Blow: A comedic love story told by none other than Death himself, portrayed here as a handsome and charismatic hero who may steal your heart in more ways than one. With humor, suspense, and relatable prose, this hip and cutting-edge collection dazzles.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2011
30 people are currently reading
733 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Nayeri
30 books912 followersDaniel Nayeri is a writer and editor in New York City. He wrote and produced The Cult of Sincerity, the first feature film to be world-premiered by YouTube. He has had all kinds of jobs around books, including book repairman, literary agent, used bookstore clerk, children's librarian, Official Story-Time Reader Leader, editor, copy-editor, and even carpenter (making bookshelves). He's also a professional pastry chef. He loves Street Fighter 2, hates the word "foodie," and is an award-winning stuntman.
Daniel and his sister/co-writer Dina were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.
Daniel and his sister/co-writer Dina were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 11, 2011
Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow1 is a collection of four novellas, each written in a different genre, although ALL of them have a fantastical element, placing this collection firmly into Speculative Fiction territory.
Toy Farm opens the collection and is a Western. Set in a farm, where Toys grow from the earth and are tended by the farmer’s daughter and by the Scarecrow who acts as the Sheriff. The toys’ gentle life is shaken by the attack of a group homunculus who may look like humans but have no soul – unlike the toys. The battle for their lives is fought by their Sheriff, a boy who needs to become a man. This story is a bit convoluted (it takes some time to realise what the hell is going on) but raises interesting questions about what is means to be human.
Our Lady of Villains is a Sci-fi story. The story is set in the near future in a dystopian world where a Corporation runs the world, nanotechnology runs amok and everybody lives in a virtual Second Life. Although there are some cool things about this story (for example, villains are the new heroes and vice-versa), it felt too artificially constructed for my tastes and by the time the identity of the Lady of Villains (a new Goddess, to be worshiped) was revealed I was already uninterested.
Wish Police comes next, and is probably my favourite story of the bunch (I would not be averse to reading more stories about this Wish Police, in fact). It is a detective story with an interesting premise: this branch of the police prevents certain types of wishes from coming true. The detectives – including a talking fish and a former Djinn – go around trying to catch a Wish turned human before he causes any real trouble.
The final story is a romance called Doom With a View and is narrated by Death himself, a cool narrator to a sweeping love story between star-crossed lovers. This story is light and funny but left me…cold.
And ultimately, this is the feeling I have towards this collection: reserved indifference. I feel like I should have enjoyed it more because the stories are not bad at all. They are well written and some of them have really interesting premises (although those interesting concepts needed more space to develop). But they are perhaps too…safe? Each story follows their “genre” to the letter with little to no room for true originality. I understand that this collection is meant to be an introduction to these types of stories to Young Adults and I guess I could say it is indeed a competent introduction. I just feel readers deserve more than mere competence or paint-by-numbers introductions. I feel that Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow lacked true heart.
A final note: as the official blurb and many reviewers will make sure to tell you, this book was written on an iphone. I am perplexed as to why this seems to be so important as to be included in the official blurb: WHY does it matter to a reader at all WHERE or HOW the book was written? What difference does it make if it was written on an iphone, a typewriter or…whatever?
Toy Farm opens the collection and is a Western. Set in a farm, where Toys grow from the earth and are tended by the farmer’s daughter and by the Scarecrow who acts as the Sheriff. The toys’ gentle life is shaken by the attack of a group homunculus who may look like humans but have no soul – unlike the toys. The battle for their lives is fought by their Sheriff, a boy who needs to become a man. This story is a bit convoluted (it takes some time to realise what the hell is going on) but raises interesting questions about what is means to be human.
Our Lady of Villains is a Sci-fi story. The story is set in the near future in a dystopian world where a Corporation runs the world, nanotechnology runs amok and everybody lives in a virtual Second Life. Although there are some cool things about this story (for example, villains are the new heroes and vice-versa), it felt too artificially constructed for my tastes and by the time the identity of the Lady of Villains (a new Goddess, to be worshiped) was revealed I was already uninterested.
Wish Police comes next, and is probably my favourite story of the bunch (I would not be averse to reading more stories about this Wish Police, in fact). It is a detective story with an interesting premise: this branch of the police prevents certain types of wishes from coming true. The detectives – including a talking fish and a former Djinn – go around trying to catch a Wish turned human before he causes any real trouble.
The final story is a romance called Doom With a View and is narrated by Death himself, a cool narrator to a sweeping love story between star-crossed lovers. This story is light and funny but left me…cold.
And ultimately, this is the feeling I have towards this collection: reserved indifference. I feel like I should have enjoyed it more because the stories are not bad at all. They are well written and some of them have really interesting premises (although those interesting concepts needed more space to develop). But they are perhaps too…safe? Each story follows their “genre” to the letter with little to no room for true originality. I understand that this collection is meant to be an introduction to these types of stories to Young Adults and I guess I could say it is indeed a competent introduction. I just feel readers deserve more than mere competence or paint-by-numbers introductions. I feel that Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow lacked true heart.
A final note: as the official blurb and many reviewers will make sure to tell you, this book was written on an iphone. I am perplexed as to why this seems to be so important as to be included in the official blurb: WHY does it matter to a reader at all WHERE or HOW the book was written? What difference does it make if it was written on an iphone, a typewriter or…whatever?
March 10, 2025
If you loved Nayeri’s Everything Sad Is Untrue, this is completely different but also excellent. This book consists of four novellas loosely based on very different genres - western, post-apocalyptic, crime, and romance - and all with a strong fantasy element. This created some friction for me - with each story running about 100 pages, I found the first 25 or so pages pretty disorienting until I managed to get my bearings; as a result, this took me much longer to read than it should have. But once I figured out the world-building, each of the stories was clever and engaging, with a suspicion of more-going-on-here-than-meets-the-eye. For example, I’m pretty sure these stories are supposed to interconnect and there’s a Three Little Pigs theme (hence the title), that I didn’t totally get. I’m looking forward to a future re-read to sort more of this out.
November 12, 2012
This book is a collection of four short stories, each written in a different genre. The first (Straw House/Toy Farm) is a Western, the second (Wood House/Our Lady of Villains) is science fiction, the third (Brick House/Wish Police) is a detective drama, and the last story (Blow/Doom with a View) is a romantic comedy. The stories all seem to explore themes of identity and belonging, betrayal and friendship, love and mortality.
For a reason that I have yet to determine, the theme of The Three Little Pigs is carried throughout the book. I, personally, do not understand why the author chose to do this, as it does not seem to relate in any way to any of the stories.
Overall, though, I enjoyed all four of the stories. Contrary to other reviews that I have read, my favorite story was Our Lady of Villains, the science fiction novella. I really like science fiction books, and I thought Nayeri did a great job in creating an interesting world in which the world is on the verge of going completely virtual. My least favorite story was Wish Police. Although it had an interesting concept (a special police force that must deal with rogue wishes), I found the story a bit lackluster and I couldn't find anything about the story very exciting.
For a reason that I have yet to determine, the theme of The Three Little Pigs is carried throughout the book. I, personally, do not understand why the author chose to do this, as it does not seem to relate in any way to any of the stories.
Overall, though, I enjoyed all four of the stories. Contrary to other reviews that I have read, my favorite story was Our Lady of Villains, the science fiction novella. I really like science fiction books, and I thought Nayeri did a great job in creating an interesting world in which the world is on the verge of going completely virtual. My least favorite story was Wish Police. Although it had an interesting concept (a special police force that must deal with rogue wishes), I found the story a bit lackluster and I couldn't find anything about the story very exciting.
August 25, 2023
These four stories were so full of heart, humor, and delightful turns of phrase. I was racing to finish most of the stories and didn’t want to put the book down for long.
The first felt like a classic Ray Bradbury story, the second was splendid near-future science-fiction, the third was edge of your seat urban fantasy/police procedural, and the last reminiscent of a fairy tale that conjured Terry Pratchett’s Death. I highly recommend this book.
The first felt like a classic Ray Bradbury story, the second was splendid near-future science-fiction, the third was edge of your seat urban fantasy/police procedural, and the last reminiscent of a fairy tale that conjured Terry Pratchett’s Death. I highly recommend this book.
September 29, 2025
*3.5 stars. I feel like each story could have been abbreviated a little bit and this would have been stronger. The last novella was by far my favorite.
January 20, 2012
I did not like "Straw House"/"Toy Farm", but enjoyed the humor and the odd mystery of "Wood House"/"Our Lady of Villains", thought "Blow"/"Doom with a View" was appropriately funny even if the main romance seemed a little off, and loved "Brick House"/"Wish Police". The latter novella was so wonderfully detailed and had such an interesting twist and cliffhanger ending that I want there to be a regular series taking place in this world.
June 25, 2024
this is the third time i've read this book. the first time was the summer before ninth grade and i was totally enraptured with these short stories. the second time was somewhere in between then and the end of high school.
this read i almost DNFed the book. the concepts behind the stories are so so sick and i think they would each make really good full-length adult novels. but this book is a mix of YA and middle grade that makes the stories SO unserious that it's hard to get into it. because sci-fi and westerns and star-crossed lovers should be talked about in poetic terms, not 7th grade boy jokes. idk i remembered it being so much better. it's definitely targeted for lower ages, but the story ideas themselves aren't really meant (or won't be properly appreciated/understood) by anyone younger than 16.
dreaming of reading new adult novels about the toy farm, about our lady of villains and nano-tech, about wish police, and death as a narrator of romeo and juliet... the potential was insane and unfortunately most didn't meet the mark for me :(
this read i almost DNFed the book. the concepts behind the stories are so so sick and i think they would each make really good full-length adult novels. but this book is a mix of YA and middle grade that makes the stories SO unserious that it's hard to get into it. because sci-fi and westerns and star-crossed lovers should be talked about in poetic terms, not 7th grade boy jokes. idk i remembered it being so much better. it's definitely targeted for lower ages, but the story ideas themselves aren't really meant (or won't be properly appreciated/understood) by anyone younger than 16.
dreaming of reading new adult novels about the toy farm, about our lady of villains and nano-tech, about wish police, and death as a narrator of romeo and juliet... the potential was insane and unfortunately most didn't meet the mark for me :(
May 13, 2024
This book is not at all what I'm used to read, and that's why I was intrigued by it.
The first novella let me confused for almost half of it. I mean... living toys?! It was weird, but at the end I was feeling for Sunny, Dot, the Boy and Sobrino.
The second was set in a future not so far away, and it felt so, so real... I liked how it was told by different formats (search results, chats, book log, customer reviews… etc.).
The third one I really liked, about a wish going hay-wire and the wish police trying to catch it.
And the last one was a delight. A love story told from the perspective of Death, an "almost" normal guy.
If you like weird stories, and short stories, you'll definitely love this one.
The first novella let me confused for almost half of it. I mean... living toys?! It was weird, but at the end I was feeling for Sunny, Dot, the Boy and Sobrino.
The second was set in a future not so far away, and it felt so, so real... I liked how it was told by different formats (search results, chats, book log, customer reviews… etc.).
The third one I really liked, about a wish going hay-wire and the wish police trying to catch it.
And the last one was a delight. A love story told from the perspective of Death, an "almost" normal guy.
If you like weird stories, and short stories, you'll definitely love this one.
February 8, 2017
This may not have been one of my favorite books to read, but I can't deny its sheer genius. Four novellas, linked only by the disquieting feeling they evoke. This stuff is weird, in a way that keeps the reader cleverly off balance, unable to reconcile the deeply familiar and deeply unfamiliar elements of the stories. If Philip K. Dick belonged to the millennial generation, I suspect he'd have written a book like this one.
July 21, 2017
My rating for this book is more like 3.7 stars, because although the latter three novellas were lovely, it was a little difficult to get through Straw House. Perhaps this was more a fault on my part, as I did enjoy the story and the slightly dark humour, but I think I'm just not made to read westerns.
Otherwise, I quite enjoyed my first foray into reading Daniel Nayeri's books, and look forward to reading his series of teenagers in New York, just as soon as I've read the originals.
Otherwise, I quite enjoyed my first foray into reading Daniel Nayeri's books, and look forward to reading his series of teenagers in New York, just as soon as I've read the originals.
May 27, 2017
This collection of books was very fun to read. Some of referred to this book as a modern-day “Alice in Wonderland”, and I can see the connection. Things aren’t quite as they seem to be but while Alice falls into a world of nonsense, Nayeri takes you into a world of depth. All four stories were compelling and though-provoking. I highly recommend reading!
January 28, 2025
Very interesting and unique especially with the different novellas. I wish there could have been more interconnectedness between them for my own amusement. But this is the first book for personal reading I finished in a super long time which is exciting for me
October 16, 2017
Ok, it gets very slow at points.
January 3, 2018
I was feeling guilty about not finishing this until I came here to post about my feelings of guilt and saw the summary beginning "written entirely on an iPhone". Get a pen, dummy. Pass.
March 28, 2018
Incredibly creative stories with characters I will never forget. I enjoyed diving into these fictional worlds. Highly recommend if you're looking for something unique!
August 16, 2018
Rating is for the wood house story, which blew my mind.
May 30, 2019
Étrange et impossible de rentrer dans le livre pour moi. L'écriture, ou peut-être la traduction n'est pas très fluide malgré beaucoup de choses intéressantes.
January 21, 2020
I fell in love with this book! 100% my jam.
September 12, 2023
Some of the stories were hit or miss, but mostly they were fun and I would kill to see more from that first story and that third more than anything else. But man oh boy, that "future" one with the nano whatevers? That was hard to get through, it felt heavily like a "phone bad, book good" mission, which was weird since this was written on a phone? I think parts of that one were annoying because it felt like an adult trying to guess how teens write and type and essentially making fun of a little girl as an adult man, which always feels icky. The rest were good though!!!
April 9, 2025
theres so many goddamn characters and its kinda slow paced
August 22, 2025
This book was a lot of fun, great storytelling and imagination.
December 2, 2011
Reason for Reading: I really enjoyed both books in the author's "Another" series and was intrigued by this collection of novellas.
A collection of four novellas written by the author, each featuring a different sub-genre, yet all of them fit under either fantasy or science-fiction on the surface. These stories are for the older teen and quite suited to adult reading as well, though they do feature teen main characters. Of the four stories I really enjoyed three of them with two being quite outstanding. The fourth fell flat and didn't entertain me. These stories show what a great creative, inventive, dark mind Nayeri has and what he may have in store for readers in the future is simply delicious to think about. Highly recommended!
1. Toy Farm - A western, this is a weird, quirky tale set on a toy farm, where the inhabitants are toys and the farm grows new toys to populate itself. The main character is Sonny, an 18yo straw man who patrols and protects the farm and its inhabitants. A stranger comes to the farm, perhaps to cause danger but before his real purpose is known a truly evil man arrives who wishes to find out the secret of the toys' ability to live and have feelings. He and his slave plant people start to take over the farm while Sonny, the farmer's daughter and the stranger do what they can to fight against him. A very strange story indeed and while I didn't really understand its meaning, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It had a creepy vibe to it that I just can't describe. Strange but interesting. 4/5
2. Our Lady of Villains - Fantastic little dystopian novella set in 2062 where nano-technology has taken over the world. People live on the web and in virtual reality. A corporation basically rules the world and plans to turn the earth into one virtual reality on the upcoming ReCreation Day. A girl, who belongs to the group of dissenters, the Villains, races against time to perhaps save the world. Compelling story, much longer than the first one but had me racing through the pages and read in one sitting. Loved it! 5/5
3. Wish Police - Brilliant urban fantasy! My favourite story so far! Saul, a Djinn, and his partner Ari, a goldfish who happens to be prince of the sea, work for the ICU (Imaginary Crimes Unit). Their job is to go after wishes that have been sent to commit crimes and apprehend them before the crime is committed because you see all wishes comes true unless they wouldn't, shouldn't or couldn't. Randy just had a bad night and before he falls asleep he wishes his family was dead. That's when Saul and Ari are given what should be a simple case. Along for the ride is a recently demoted detective who may be Saul & Ari's new partner Mack, who claims to be a giant leprechaun. As mysterious herself as the case turns out to be this story is an exciting read and a lot of fun. An amazing amount of character development is put into the three main characters and I could see, and would very much like to see, the further adventures of this trio in novel format. 5/5
4. Doom with a View - This is a fantasy, an original fairy tale, if you will. Told from the point of view of Death; he tells us the tale of a kingdom run by a selfish young prince, two artisans who have been warring since they were first compared to each other, and their children, star-crossed lovers. This is really a farce on all these common elements of a Romeo & Juliet fairy tale since our lovers don't even meet until the story is almost over. I'm usually quite fond of stories involving Death as a character but this one fell flat with me and I'm afraid I found it rather silly and boring. 2/5
A collection of four novellas written by the author, each featuring a different sub-genre, yet all of them fit under either fantasy or science-fiction on the surface. These stories are for the older teen and quite suited to adult reading as well, though they do feature teen main characters. Of the four stories I really enjoyed three of them with two being quite outstanding. The fourth fell flat and didn't entertain me. These stories show what a great creative, inventive, dark mind Nayeri has and what he may have in store for readers in the future is simply delicious to think about. Highly recommended!
1. Toy Farm - A western, this is a weird, quirky tale set on a toy farm, where the inhabitants are toys and the farm grows new toys to populate itself. The main character is Sonny, an 18yo straw man who patrols and protects the farm and its inhabitants. A stranger comes to the farm, perhaps to cause danger but before his real purpose is known a truly evil man arrives who wishes to find out the secret of the toys' ability to live and have feelings. He and his slave plant people start to take over the farm while Sonny, the farmer's daughter and the stranger do what they can to fight against him. A very strange story indeed and while I didn't really understand its meaning, I enjoyed it nonetheless. It had a creepy vibe to it that I just can't describe. Strange but interesting. 4/5
2. Our Lady of Villains - Fantastic little dystopian novella set in 2062 where nano-technology has taken over the world. People live on the web and in virtual reality. A corporation basically rules the world and plans to turn the earth into one virtual reality on the upcoming ReCreation Day. A girl, who belongs to the group of dissenters, the Villains, races against time to perhaps save the world. Compelling story, much longer than the first one but had me racing through the pages and read in one sitting. Loved it! 5/5
3. Wish Police - Brilliant urban fantasy! My favourite story so far! Saul, a Djinn, and his partner Ari, a goldfish who happens to be prince of the sea, work for the ICU (Imaginary Crimes Unit). Their job is to go after wishes that have been sent to commit crimes and apprehend them before the crime is committed because you see all wishes comes true unless they wouldn't, shouldn't or couldn't. Randy just had a bad night and before he falls asleep he wishes his family was dead. That's when Saul and Ari are given what should be a simple case. Along for the ride is a recently demoted detective who may be Saul & Ari's new partner Mack, who claims to be a giant leprechaun. As mysterious herself as the case turns out to be this story is an exciting read and a lot of fun. An amazing amount of character development is put into the three main characters and I could see, and would very much like to see, the further adventures of this trio in novel format. 5/5
4. Doom with a View - This is a fantasy, an original fairy tale, if you will. Told from the point of view of Death; he tells us the tale of a kingdom run by a selfish young prince, two artisans who have been warring since they were first compared to each other, and their children, star-crossed lovers. This is really a farce on all these common elements of a Romeo & Juliet fairy tale since our lovers don't even meet until the story is almost over. I'm usually quite fond of stories involving Death as a character but this one fell flat with me and I'm afraid I found it rather silly and boring. 2/5
August 16, 2016
This set of novellas is truly something unique to the YA market, perhaps even the entire book world. The best way I could describe the feeling of these novellas would be a child-like lens that manages to still speak to issues that worry older people. The premise of each novella is so creative, and the writing is top notch. The worlds each novella resides in are impossible to forget. Some may see the plot descriptions and get turned off by the premises (I originally was), but I’m so glad I read it. It was an experience I’ll never be able to repeat with a book.
Straw House was the most confusing for me, but it would appeal heavily to lovers of Alice in Wonderland or any Pixar films. But, even with the mystical world of a farmer who raises toys, the story has its dark side. For me, the parts that stuck out the strongest in the story were scenes where the antagonist kills toys, and the descriptions read with talk of oil dribbling out of the bodies, gaping holes torn, and springs sticking out. If one read it literally as toys, it would seem much tamer than one who gets fully immersed in the book. It suddenly becomes brutal descriptions of deaths. The author does an excellent job of pulling readers into this world, and by the end, I was nearly crying during the lows of the Sunny (the straw man) and his toy dog sidekick.
Wood House was a bit easier to read, but had an eerie feeling throughout it, and it didn’t take long to realize that the story’s technological aspect was overwhelming, yet completely plausible. The main character struggles to write basic English instead of the Internet acronyms, everyone spends every waking moment in front of a screen, and anyone who doesn’t do so is seen as the enemy. It made me truly sit back and appreciate the fact that our world now isn’t completely virtual, and I was on the edge of my seat hoping that this technological nightmare didn’t swallow the “villains” whole. A thought provoking novella.
Brick House was my favorite out of the novellas, perhaps because it was closest to my preferred genre of realistic/mystery. But, the author gave it a unique twist. Yes, the story is a detective story. Yes, the story is about preventing a murder. So, it lays out all the classic partner banter and suspense that a great mystery needs. But, it builds on that. The partners are a mild-mannered immortal and a hilariously snarky talking goldfish. The murder that must be stopped is a thirteen-year-old boy’s wish that his parents were dead. So, they have to stop a projection of the boy, or the boy’s “wish,” in order to prevent the crime. Despite all the oddities of this work, it read like a great mystery, and the duo of Saul and Ari are unforgettable. There were times when the strange twists of the story disappeared, and other times it added to a greater story.
Blow‘s best feature was definitely the narrator, otherwise known as Death. But, Death is not the sullen but wise creature of The Book Thief, nor the skeleton in the black cape. No, this Death is a little awkward, always with humorous commentary, and a character that ultimately grows on you. The story is a cliché, the story’s glowing point being the point of view it is told through. Even so, the star crossed lovers tale reads a bit satirically, and therefore a fun story for Death to tell. For the first time in my reading, Death’s story made me laugh, and it was a pleasant surprise.
In conclusion, if you want a reading experience that truly cannot be repeated and are not starkly void of imagination, Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow will lead you on a reading journey that will not soon be repeated.
Straw House was the most confusing for me, but it would appeal heavily to lovers of Alice in Wonderland or any Pixar films. But, even with the mystical world of a farmer who raises toys, the story has its dark side. For me, the parts that stuck out the strongest in the story were scenes where the antagonist kills toys, and the descriptions read with talk of oil dribbling out of the bodies, gaping holes torn, and springs sticking out. If one read it literally as toys, it would seem much tamer than one who gets fully immersed in the book. It suddenly becomes brutal descriptions of deaths. The author does an excellent job of pulling readers into this world, and by the end, I was nearly crying during the lows of the Sunny (the straw man) and his toy dog sidekick.
Wood House was a bit easier to read, but had an eerie feeling throughout it, and it didn’t take long to realize that the story’s technological aspect was overwhelming, yet completely plausible. The main character struggles to write basic English instead of the Internet acronyms, everyone spends every waking moment in front of a screen, and anyone who doesn’t do so is seen as the enemy. It made me truly sit back and appreciate the fact that our world now isn’t completely virtual, and I was on the edge of my seat hoping that this technological nightmare didn’t swallow the “villains” whole. A thought provoking novella.
Brick House was my favorite out of the novellas, perhaps because it was closest to my preferred genre of realistic/mystery. But, the author gave it a unique twist. Yes, the story is a detective story. Yes, the story is about preventing a murder. So, it lays out all the classic partner banter and suspense that a great mystery needs. But, it builds on that. The partners are a mild-mannered immortal and a hilariously snarky talking goldfish. The murder that must be stopped is a thirteen-year-old boy’s wish that his parents were dead. So, they have to stop a projection of the boy, or the boy’s “wish,” in order to prevent the crime. Despite all the oddities of this work, it read like a great mystery, and the duo of Saul and Ari are unforgettable. There were times when the strange twists of the story disappeared, and other times it added to a greater story.
Blow‘s best feature was definitely the narrator, otherwise known as Death. But, Death is not the sullen but wise creature of The Book Thief, nor the skeleton in the black cape. No, this Death is a little awkward, always with humorous commentary, and a character that ultimately grows on you. The story is a cliché, the story’s glowing point being the point of view it is told through. Even so, the star crossed lovers tale reads a bit satirically, and therefore a fun story for Death to tell. For the first time in my reading, Death’s story made me laugh, and it was a pleasant surprise.
In conclusion, if you want a reading experience that truly cannot be repeated and are not starkly void of imagination, Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow will lead you on a reading journey that will not soon be repeated.
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December 5, 2012Nayeri, D. (2012). Straw house, wood house, brick house, blow. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 406 pp. ISBN: 978-0-7636-5526-6. (Hardcover); $19.99.
I have an iPhone. I check messages on it. Text messages have become an increasingly favored tool. As much as I like my phone, however, I MUCH prefer doing longer messages on my computer with its full sized keyboard. Nayeri may well win the prize for being the very first author to write a published book on a smart phone. The fact that the book was written on a phone may give teachers a way to engage a reader, but if the details of its composition were the only reason to review the book, you would not be reading my review. The book is smart, unique, and a lot of fun to read. That said, this book will not be for everyone. Those who want more immediate connections to folklore will be disappointed. A book written on a phone is obviously a think outside the box kind of book. Nayeri has four very different novellas in this collection, all revolving around themes of the limits of friendship, love and death, how we see our own behavior, and more. In Straw House (Toy Farm) we have a western unlike any western we have ever read before. Toys roam the range in this novella and an Oz-like straw man, Sunny, is pushed to think of ways to protect the farm from the stranger with the jagged fingernails the color of fossils. He also hopes to gain the love of Dot, the farmer’s daughter. In Wood House (Our Lady of Villains) we brave the horrors of Recreation Day in a science fiction thriller featuring a “nano-miracle event.” The epigraph before this story is from the Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig and it speaks of building a very safe house, a fitting quote for a big brother story espousing the benevolent protection of technology. However, even safe houses have problems, even those with the miracle of Nano technology: “No one knows which came first: the man or the virus.” (p. 131). Brick House (Wish Police) cautions us to be careful what we wish for. In this novella Randy Bieman wishes upon a star for the multiple homicide of his family. Next thing we know, we are with detective Mack interrogating Randy Bieman: “Mack slammed the metal table again, hard enough to leave a print. The kid was about to bawl. ‘Don’t play with me. Randy Bieman catches the first star, wants a triple murder. You show up at the door ten minutes later. That dad opens the door, and I say you would have put your fist through his heart. Am I right?’ ‘But I’m not Randy,’ pleaded the boy. ‘I know.’ said Mack, ‘You’re Randy’s wish.’” (pp. 223-224). Blow (Doom with a View) features Death narrating a story about feuding artisan families and claiming it is a love story: “Fair enough. Maybe a love story should have the lovers within a hundred-mile radius of each other at the beginning. But in my experience, it’s not so much the beginning as the ending that matters for most people. And endings are kinda my specialty. I mean, you can start anywhere if you think about it, but you’re gonna end up like everybody else someday, listening to Dora clacking on her typewriter till you name comes up next on her clipboard.” (p. 353). And the ending to this love story is such a delightful, morbid, very human surprise! Purchase this one for that lover of literary fiction who likes avant-garde reading experiences unlike anything he or she has ever read before.
I have an iPhone. I check messages on it. Text messages have become an increasingly favored tool. As much as I like my phone, however, I MUCH prefer doing longer messages on my computer with its full sized keyboard. Nayeri may well win the prize for being the very first author to write a published book on a smart phone. The fact that the book was written on a phone may give teachers a way to engage a reader, but if the details of its composition were the only reason to review the book, you would not be reading my review. The book is smart, unique, and a lot of fun to read. That said, this book will not be for everyone. Those who want more immediate connections to folklore will be disappointed. A book written on a phone is obviously a think outside the box kind of book. Nayeri has four very different novellas in this collection, all revolving around themes of the limits of friendship, love and death, how we see our own behavior, and more. In Straw House (Toy Farm) we have a western unlike any western we have ever read before. Toys roam the range in this novella and an Oz-like straw man, Sunny, is pushed to think of ways to protect the farm from the stranger with the jagged fingernails the color of fossils. He also hopes to gain the love of Dot, the farmer’s daughter. In Wood House (Our Lady of Villains) we brave the horrors of Recreation Day in a science fiction thriller featuring a “nano-miracle event.” The epigraph before this story is from the Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig and it speaks of building a very safe house, a fitting quote for a big brother story espousing the benevolent protection of technology. However, even safe houses have problems, even those with the miracle of Nano technology: “No one knows which came first: the man or the virus.” (p. 131). Brick House (Wish Police) cautions us to be careful what we wish for. In this novella Randy Bieman wishes upon a star for the multiple homicide of his family. Next thing we know, we are with detective Mack interrogating Randy Bieman: “Mack slammed the metal table again, hard enough to leave a print. The kid was about to bawl. ‘Don’t play with me. Randy Bieman catches the first star, wants a triple murder. You show up at the door ten minutes later. That dad opens the door, and I say you would have put your fist through his heart. Am I right?’ ‘But I’m not Randy,’ pleaded the boy. ‘I know.’ said Mack, ‘You’re Randy’s wish.’” (pp. 223-224). Blow (Doom with a View) features Death narrating a story about feuding artisan families and claiming it is a love story: “Fair enough. Maybe a love story should have the lovers within a hundred-mile radius of each other at the beginning. But in my experience, it’s not so much the beginning as the ending that matters for most people. And endings are kinda my specialty. I mean, you can start anywhere if you think about it, but you’re gonna end up like everybody else someday, listening to Dora clacking on her typewriter till you name comes up next on her clipboard.” (p. 353). And the ending to this love story is such a delightful, morbid, very human surprise! Purchase this one for that lover of literary fiction who likes avant-garde reading experiences unlike anything he or she has ever read before.
January 9, 2012
Four novellas of different genres make up this collection. The first is a western taking place on a ranch made up of toys that are grown from the ground. The second is science fiction, taking place in a world that's on the verge of going completely virtual. The third is a fantasy tale about the wish police stopping the dangerous wishes people make, and the last story is a romance narrated by Death.
Loved. Totally, totally loved. Nayeri is incredibly skilled at creating a whole world and well-rounded characters in just a hundred pages. No easy trick.
The title, obviously, comes from The Three Little Pigs, but the connection in each story is not always obvious. There are no actual wolves or pigs in any of these stories. It's more about what the houses represent. Straw House deals with vulnerability. Wood House the idea that one might not be quite as safe as you think. Brick House actually makes mention of a brick House, which was the most literal interpretation, and Blow was the one I had the hardest time seeing the connection.
The first story I wasn't really feeling. It was odd and disjointed and I wasn't sure I fully understood what was going on that whole time. It also ended quite suddenly. However, I absolutely loved the other three stories. I don't think I can even say which one was my favorite.
Wood House and Brick House in particular had amazing world creation. They both left me wanting to read more stories that take place in that world. I wanted the novellas to turn into full-length novels so I could know more. I wanted to know more about what happened to the characters. Or it didn't even have to be the same characters. There were such fascinating worlds that any story that took place there I'd love read.
Wood House is a science fiction story. In this world, people do most of their living online through virtual representations of themselves, where they can be heroes. Why live in the regular world when you can be a hero online? Those who don't want to live online are therefore referred to as Villains. The Villains are trying to fight against ReCreation Day, the day when Nano-Fidelity hotspots will extend across the world and create a merging of real life with virtual life. It leaves no one with the option to opt out. Janey, a Villain, is sent to deliver a book (a real one, with paper) for her guardian and stumbles into the horrifying truth of nofi technology. It was super creepy. The story was also quite funny. It was excellent storytelling and I want more stories in this world.
I felt the same about Brick House. In this world, wishes are real and powerful. Three agents of the Imaginary Crime Unit are called in to stop a wish of a young boy who has wished his family dead on the first star in the sky. His wish becomes entangled with another boys wish, and Saul (a djinn), Ari (a talking fish) and Mack (not clear what she is, claims she's an over-sized leprechaun) must stop them both before it's too late. It was great, with a couple of excellent surprise twist at the end. Again, I want more! More stories in this world!
I got to hear Daniel Nayeri speak at the Boston Book Festival, and he was an engaging and fascinating speaker, much like his book. I haven't read anything else by him, but after this, I definitely want to.
Loved. Totally, totally loved. Nayeri is incredibly skilled at creating a whole world and well-rounded characters in just a hundred pages. No easy trick.
The title, obviously, comes from The Three Little Pigs, but the connection in each story is not always obvious. There are no actual wolves or pigs in any of these stories. It's more about what the houses represent. Straw House deals with vulnerability. Wood House the idea that one might not be quite as safe as you think. Brick House actually makes mention of a brick House, which was the most literal interpretation, and Blow was the one I had the hardest time seeing the connection.
The first story I wasn't really feeling. It was odd and disjointed and I wasn't sure I fully understood what was going on that whole time. It also ended quite suddenly. However, I absolutely loved the other three stories. I don't think I can even say which one was my favorite.
Wood House and Brick House in particular had amazing world creation. They both left me wanting to read more stories that take place in that world. I wanted the novellas to turn into full-length novels so I could know more. I wanted to know more about what happened to the characters. Or it didn't even have to be the same characters. There were such fascinating worlds that any story that took place there I'd love read.
Wood House is a science fiction story. In this world, people do most of their living online through virtual representations of themselves, where they can be heroes. Why live in the regular world when you can be a hero online? Those who don't want to live online are therefore referred to as Villains. The Villains are trying to fight against ReCreation Day, the day when Nano-Fidelity hotspots will extend across the world and create a merging of real life with virtual life. It leaves no one with the option to opt out. Janey, a Villain, is sent to deliver a book (a real one, with paper) for her guardian and stumbles into the horrifying truth of nofi technology. It was super creepy. The story was also quite funny. It was excellent storytelling and I want more stories in this world.
I felt the same about Brick House. In this world, wishes are real and powerful. Three agents of the Imaginary Crime Unit are called in to stop a wish of a young boy who has wished his family dead on the first star in the sky. His wish becomes entangled with another boys wish, and Saul (a djinn), Ari (a talking fish) and Mack (not clear what she is, claims she's an over-sized leprechaun) must stop them both before it's too late. It was great, with a couple of excellent surprise twist at the end. Again, I want more! More stories in this world!
I got to hear Daniel Nayeri speak at the Boston Book Festival, and he was an engaging and fascinating speaker, much like his book. I haven't read anything else by him, but after this, I definitely want to.
November 12, 2022
A big thanks to YABC for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
To put it honestly, this book is complicated. In a very weird and enigmatic way. As it is a quartet of novellas, that were originally written on an iPhone.
Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri is a collection of four novellas. Which include stories of retelling and remixes of classics, a very wide range of writing styles, and themes that tend to question mortality and identity. Following the sequence of the title, the book features a twisted western, a dystopian science fiction, a detective story with "wish police," and a romance from the perspective of death. All are unique in their own unique way.
Given the range of genres that Nayeri presented, I was a little skeptical as to how the novellas would read. They were each enigmatic to be both similar enough to fit together while still being their own pieces. Honestly my favorite had to be the rom-com from death. With the science fiction a close second. Nayeri expertly wove each story to their own tune, and didn't dare miss a beat in bringing them all together.
From reading this, I have high hopes for reading Nayeri's other (and much longer) works. I mainly have my eyes on Everything Sad is Untrue as I've heard nothing but positive reviews for it. If Nayeri were to ever make another amazing collection such as this, I'll be the first in the checkout line to get my hands on it.
To put it honestly, this book is complicated. In a very weird and enigmatic way. As it is a quartet of novellas, that were originally written on an iPhone.
Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow by Daniel Nayeri is a collection of four novellas. Which include stories of retelling and remixes of classics, a very wide range of writing styles, and themes that tend to question mortality and identity. Following the sequence of the title, the book features a twisted western, a dystopian science fiction, a detective story with "wish police," and a romance from the perspective of death. All are unique in their own unique way.
Given the range of genres that Nayeri presented, I was a little skeptical as to how the novellas would read. They were each enigmatic to be both similar enough to fit together while still being their own pieces. Honestly my favorite had to be the rom-com from death. With the science fiction a close second. Nayeri expertly wove each story to their own tune, and didn't dare miss a beat in bringing them all together.
From reading this, I have high hopes for reading Nayeri's other (and much longer) works. I mainly have my eyes on Everything Sad is Untrue as I've heard nothing but positive reviews for it. If Nayeri were to ever make another amazing collection such as this, I'll be the first in the checkout line to get my hands on it.
September 29, 2014
STRAW HOUSE:
This might just be my favorite. Sunny was such conflicted character, (don't let his cheery name fool you) and in the last few pages when everything fell apart and back together again, he became a man; a goal he'd been struggling with throughout his story. The idea of a toy farm is pure imagination and undiluted creativity, I wish I'd thought of it!
WOOD HOUSE:
Of all the stories, this was probably my least favorite, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it at all. It took me a few chapters to get used to the slang and internet talk, but I'm still not sure I liked it. It was so interesting how the author formed his Dystopian world and I thought it was very clever and with a dark side. I think this one hit a soft spot because it was so real; I could easily see this disturbing and... disappointing world coming to life before our eyes. Maybe that is why I'm still thinking about it and the stark reality of the steep, downhill slide awaiting us...
BRICK HOUSE:
Oh I loved this one! Set in a modern day world it was a bit too good to be true. Well, that's what I thought at first. After about 1/3 of the way through the book the uglier side of wishes came forth. I thoroughly enjoyed the unveiling of the characters, but the ending left me in despair after I learned of their secrets. ARI. Oh. my. goodness. I want that goldfish! He was the sassiest, most sarcastic character I met in this book and oh how I loved him. Can I just get a big tank full of Aris?
BLOW:
First off, let me say I hate the play Romeo and Juliet. There is not one aspect of that play I like. Nothing. Nada. NOPE. So when I read the summary for Blow I was a bit dismayed. However, I quickly learned that this was no ordinary Romeo and Juliet spin-off. OH NO dear sir, not at all, in fact, I'm not sure it could really be compare to the play at all. This story was narrated by death, a very simple, wholesome, loveable character. I laughed many times at his perspective of certain events, such as the falling in love of to European teens. The fathers of the teens (French Chloe and Italian Giacomo) were a sassy pair of men, I'll tell you that, and I liked them very much just for that. Normally, mushy-wushy couples leave me running for the barf-bag, (and this couple was nothing short of sappy mush) but the disgusting "puppy-wuv" (as Death described himself) was somehow fitting and it made the story that much more charming. Needless to say, I loved the ending, it was so appropriate.
THE WHOLE DANG BOOK:
Besides the abrupt, sudden endings (except for Blow...interesting), this WHOLE DANG BOOK really capture my attention and sent my imagination spinning ever since I laid eyes on the cover.
This might just be my favorite. Sunny was such conflicted character, (don't let his cheery name fool you) and in the last few pages when everything fell apart and back together again, he became a man; a goal he'd been struggling with throughout his story. The idea of a toy farm is pure imagination and undiluted creativity, I wish I'd thought of it!
WOOD HOUSE:
Of all the stories, this was probably my least favorite, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it at all. It took me a few chapters to get used to the slang and internet talk, but I'm still not sure I liked it. It was so interesting how the author formed his Dystopian world and I thought it was very clever and with a dark side. I think this one hit a soft spot because it was so real; I could easily see this disturbing and... disappointing world coming to life before our eyes. Maybe that is why I'm still thinking about it and the stark reality of the steep, downhill slide awaiting us...
BRICK HOUSE:
Oh I loved this one! Set in a modern day world it was a bit too good to be true. Well, that's what I thought at first. After about 1/3 of the way through the book the uglier side of wishes came forth. I thoroughly enjoyed the unveiling of the characters, but the ending left me in despair after I learned of their secrets. ARI. Oh. my. goodness. I want that goldfish! He was the sassiest, most sarcastic character I met in this book and oh how I loved him. Can I just get a big tank full of Aris?
BLOW:
First off, let me say I hate the play Romeo and Juliet. There is not one aspect of that play I like. Nothing. Nada. NOPE. So when I read the summary for Blow I was a bit dismayed. However, I quickly learned that this was no ordinary Romeo and Juliet spin-off. OH NO dear sir, not at all, in fact, I'm not sure it could really be compare to the play at all. This story was narrated by death, a very simple, wholesome, loveable character. I laughed many times at his perspective of certain events, such as the falling in love of to European teens. The fathers of the teens (French Chloe and Italian Giacomo) were a sassy pair of men, I'll tell you that, and I liked them very much just for that. Normally, mushy-wushy couples leave me running for the barf-bag, (and this couple was nothing short of sappy mush) but the disgusting "puppy-wuv" (as Death described himself) was somehow fitting and it made the story that much more charming. Needless to say, I loved the ending, it was so appropriate.
THE WHOLE DANG BOOK:
Besides the abrupt, sudden endings (except for Blow...interesting), this WHOLE DANG BOOK really capture my attention and sent my imagination spinning ever since I laid eyes on the cover.
July 19, 2011
I think my favorite out of these four re-tellings is a tie between “Straw House” and “Wood House”. They feel the most original out of the entire four, which is why this gets three out of five stars. The idea of a “wish police” is interesting, but at the same time, it didn’t quite feel detailed enough, when the author could have gone farther. With “Straw House” and “Wood House”, Nayeri really pushes the envelope to the point where I got chills while reading, but seemed to kind of go downhill after “Wood House”. And with that, I lost interest. Regardless all four are very entertaining and fun reads.
I’ve always been mildly obsessed with the idea of living toys, so Nayeri automatically won me over with that aspect, as well as the idea of man/machine being so integrated that one can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. I’ve always loved re-tellings of old tales – the older the tale and the newer the re-telling, the better. I think that had this just been restricted to the first two novellas out of the four (or maybe shortened the fourth, “Blow” with Death and then included it), it might have won me over a bit more than it did. My interest and attentioned were captured throughout all of the re-tellings, though the scale of interest declined, as I said, after the second novella, “Wood House”.
I’m not sure why the wish police didn’t make me flail with joy, but it didn’t. It felt a little forced in places, and the flow felt a bit clunky, as if I could feel where he might have gotten stuck in a few places. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great summer read, but it could have been so much more, and that’s always disappointing. However, this is a perfect match for the YA genre, though. It kind of hits all of the notes that currently fuel the genre and some of its most popular works, so I know that I’m probably going to be in the minority with some of these opinions. This is a well-written set of novellas and definitely deserves a read by anyone of any age. I guess I just kind of had high expectations. Nayeri can write, and write well, but he could have gone farther. I guess that I should make that part clear(er).
If you want something that’s a fun, scary but also hilarious read, try out “Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow”. This set of stories will have you totally reading late into the night with a flashlight under the covers.
(posted to shelfari, goodreads, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
I’ve always been mildly obsessed with the idea of living toys, so Nayeri automatically won me over with that aspect, as well as the idea of man/machine being so integrated that one can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. I’ve always loved re-tellings of old tales – the older the tale and the newer the re-telling, the better. I think that had this just been restricted to the first two novellas out of the four (or maybe shortened the fourth, “Blow” with Death and then included it), it might have won me over a bit more than it did. My interest and attentioned were captured throughout all of the re-tellings, though the scale of interest declined, as I said, after the second novella, “Wood House”.
I’m not sure why the wish police didn’t make me flail with joy, but it didn’t. It felt a little forced in places, and the flow felt a bit clunky, as if I could feel where he might have gotten stuck in a few places. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great summer read, but it could have been so much more, and that’s always disappointing. However, this is a perfect match for the YA genre, though. It kind of hits all of the notes that currently fuel the genre and some of its most popular works, so I know that I’m probably going to be in the minority with some of these opinions. This is a well-written set of novellas and definitely deserves a read by anyone of any age. I guess I just kind of had high expectations. Nayeri can write, and write well, but he could have gone farther. I guess that I should make that part clear(er).
If you want something that’s a fun, scary but also hilarious read, try out “Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow”. This set of stories will have you totally reading late into the night with a flashlight under the covers.
(posted to shelfari, goodreads, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
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February 5, 2013Straw house,Wood House,Brick house, Blow sounds like an excellent book according to the book jacket. Unfortunately, it is not. The book is comprised of 4 short stories, each one is a totally different story. The first story, Straw House, is the story of a boy made of straw who lives on a farm that grows toys. The story gets more and more confusing as it goes on. New characters are added and then the story ends. The second story, Wood House, is even more confusing than Straw House. It takes place in the "near future" where everything is digital and a group of activists called villans are trying to warn the public about something that the government is doing. I can't figure out what. The ending is so confusing that I don't know how to describe it. You'll just have to see for yourself. The third story, Brick House, is the only story worth reading in this book. I'm not saying that it's spectacular or anything, but it's decently readable. Brick House is also set in new york in the "near future". It's about some police officers who are a part of a special devision of the force that is devoted to stopping people's wishes from causing damage. The reason why they do this is because sometimes, wishes do come true and then the wish can be dangerous. The two main characters, Mack and Saul, each have their own secrets. I was a bit confused by the ending. The forth and thankfully last book is Blow. Blow is a lot like Romeo and Juliet in the sense of death and love. Actually, I think that this story was the most confusing of them all. I really am having trouble figuring out how to put the plot into words when I can't even figure out the plot myself! Dear reader, you're going to have to interpret the plot yourself because I have absolutely no idea. Despite how bad this book is, I have to admire the author for writing the entire thing on an Iphone. Cudos to him for that. In all, this book is more of something you attempt to read and then give up in frustration on, on an airplane or somewhere else that is extremely boring.
September 10, 2016
A set of 4 novellas, each a different genre, all written on an iPhone. Sounds intriguing, right? But I quit after the first two. Perhaps that was a mistake, but since I’m reviewing these with an eye toward talking the book up to teenagers, I thought it was appropriate. Full disclosure – the written reviews of this book were favorable, so I must be missing something.
The first story is a western set on a farm occupied and managed by toys. The main character is a straw man & a villain comes to the ranch. He has to defend the girl and his territory. Without reading the blurb inside the front cover, the storyline was unclear – are these people? Is this a fairy tale? The second is set in a dystopian society where all life is virtual and the evil tech company is trying to control the world. Written in a variety of styles – e-mails, narratives, IM, etc – this story too is a bit unclear. This third story is a “hard-boiled detective drama” and the fourth a story narrated by Death. I think it will take a VERY special reader to get into this book and appreciate it. I, obviously, wasn’t that very special reader. Plus, I really don’t get why it matters that he wrote the book on his iPhone.
The first story is a western set on a farm occupied and managed by toys. The main character is a straw man & a villain comes to the ranch. He has to defend the girl and his territory. Without reading the blurb inside the front cover, the storyline was unclear – are these people? Is this a fairy tale? The second is set in a dystopian society where all life is virtual and the evil tech company is trying to control the world. Written in a variety of styles – e-mails, narratives, IM, etc – this story too is a bit unclear. This third story is a “hard-boiled detective drama” and the fourth a story narrated by Death. I think it will take a VERY special reader to get into this book and appreciate it. I, obviously, wasn’t that very special reader. Plus, I really don’t get why it matters that he wrote the book on his iPhone.
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