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Idaho Winter
Idaho Winter
Tony Burgess
L’estate è finita, e per Idaho Winter inizia un altro anno scolastico. Sporco, scalzo e vestito di stracci, Idaho esce di casa e rivela il mondo che l’autore gli ha creato attorno: tutta la città prova un odio irrazionale e feroce nei suoi confronti, dai compagni di scuola che lo vogliono picchiare alla vigile che cerca di farlo investire da un’auto. Idaho trova rifugio nei boschi, dove incontra la piccola Madison Beach, l’unica che lo considera un amico. I cittadini-inquisitori, convinti che Idaho abbia rapito Madison, gli sguinzagliano dietro un branco di cani che però sbranano proprio la ragazzina. È a questo punto che l’autore comincia ad avere qualche dubbio: la tortura che Idaho deve subire è immotivata, l’odio che tutti gli riservano è sterile e fine a se stesso. Forse, si dice, ha esagerato un po’, e decide di entrare nel racconto per sistemare le cose. Quando Idaho si rende conto di essere il personaggio di una parodia malata di Harry Potter il cui malefico intento è quello di continuare a fargli del male, si appropria del mezzo creativo per mettere in atto la sua vendetta.
Idaho Winter è una fiaba sinistra che trascina dietro di sé il senso di impotenza dei racconti di Kafka illuminandoli con la metanarrazione postmoderna di John Barth, aggiungendo una catarsi personale, un riscatto del personaggio che, soggiogando il proprio autore, non risponde più ad alcuno schema e trascina ogni cosa nel suo furioso vortice di vendetta.
Tony Burgess
L’estate è finita, e per Idaho Winter inizia un altro anno scolastico. Sporco, scalzo e vestito di stracci, Idaho esce di casa e rivela il mondo che l’autore gli ha creato attorno: tutta la città prova un odio irrazionale e feroce nei suoi confronti, dai compagni di scuola che lo vogliono picchiare alla vigile che cerca di farlo investire da un’auto. Idaho trova rifugio nei boschi, dove incontra la piccola Madison Beach, l’unica che lo considera un amico. I cittadini-inquisitori, convinti che Idaho abbia rapito Madison, gli sguinzagliano dietro un branco di cani che però sbranano proprio la ragazzina. È a questo punto che l’autore comincia ad avere qualche dubbio: la tortura che Idaho deve subire è immotivata, l’odio che tutti gli riservano è sterile e fine a se stesso. Forse, si dice, ha esagerato un po’, e decide di entrare nel racconto per sistemare le cose. Quando Idaho si rende conto di essere il personaggio di una parodia malata di Harry Potter il cui malefico intento è quello di continuare a fargli del male, si appropria del mezzo creativo per mettere in atto la sua vendetta.
Idaho Winter è una fiaba sinistra che trascina dietro di sé il senso di impotenza dei racconti di Kafka illuminandoli con la metanarrazione postmoderna di John Barth, aggiungendo una catarsi personale, un riscatto del personaggio che, soggiogando il proprio autore, non risponde più ad alcuno schema e trascina ogni cosa nel suo furioso vortice di vendetta.
135 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
10 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Tony Burgess
35 books112 followersTony Burgess is a Canadian novelist and screenwriter. His most notable works include the 1998 novel Pontypool Changes Everything and the screenplay for the film adaptation of that same novel, "Pontypool" (2008).
Burgess’ unique style of writing has been called literary horror fiction and described as ”blended ultra-violent horror and absurdist humour, inflicting nightmarish narratives on the quirky citizens of small-town Ontario: think H. P. Lovecraft meets Stephen Leacock.
Burgess’ unique style of writing has been called literary horror fiction and described as ”blended ultra-violent horror and absurdist humour, inflicting nightmarish narratives on the quirky citizens of small-town Ontario: think H. P. Lovecraft meets Stephen Leacock.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 2, 2011
CARIS CARIS CARIS CARIS
i am recommending this book to you. it is so meta and insane, you are sure to love it.
for the rest of you, i don't know what to say. it starts out telling the story of a boy named idaho winter, hated by all. people can't even help themselves when he is around, they need to hurt him both physically and emotionally. his parents make him eat the carcass of a raccoon the dog dragged home, his schoolmates beat him up before school to try to prevent him ever making it there, the crossing guard tries to time idaho's crossing to best coincide with a speedily approaching car. poor idaho.
but there is one girl.
and then.
well, idaho takes over the book, surprising the author and drawing him into a world he thought he had created only to find it changed and under new management. it gets... wild. the chapter titles change, the narrative loops back on itself, things get a little surreal and... well, i don't know. you decide.
i read this whole thing sitting on a bench waiting for connor and when i looked up, the whole world seemed changed somehow. i began to be suspicious of every person walking by. and then connor came over and ate a cookie and the feeling passed. but it was an affecting read. and mostly fun. but also eerie and thought-provoking.
read it.
i am recommending this book to you. it is so meta and insane, you are sure to love it.
for the rest of you, i don't know what to say. it starts out telling the story of a boy named idaho winter, hated by all. people can't even help themselves when he is around, they need to hurt him both physically and emotionally. his parents make him eat the carcass of a raccoon the dog dragged home, his schoolmates beat him up before school to try to prevent him ever making it there, the crossing guard tries to time idaho's crossing to best coincide with a speedily approaching car. poor idaho.
but there is one girl.
and then.
well, idaho takes over the book, surprising the author and drawing him into a world he thought he had created only to find it changed and under new management. it gets... wild. the chapter titles change, the narrative loops back on itself, things get a little surreal and... well, i don't know. you decide.
i read this whole thing sitting on a bench waiting for connor and when i looked up, the whole world seemed changed somehow. i began to be suspicious of every person walking by. and then connor came over and ate a cookie and the feeling passed. but it was an affecting read. and mostly fun. but also eerie and thought-provoking.
read it.
July 5, 2011
This is what "St. Elsewhere" could have been if the TV show had dinosaurs and pop-punk musicians (note to author, if Lint or the other guy in Rancid who was also in Operation Ivy had gotten eaten by a dinosaur I would have given up the fifth star (Tim Armstrong because, well look at him; and whatever that other guy's name who plays bass because he got angry!!! at me and threatened to hang up on me while we were doing an interview. I just had questions, jeez)), and had been meta-created by a very bitter and angry child rather than whatever it was that dreamed up the whole hospital world of "St. Elsewhere" (should I have stuck that in a spoiler? Jeez, I hope I didn't ruin a thirty year old show for the one person who's still cares and is holding off on watching the whole series ((oh for fuck's sake Greg, do you really think you're being clever? Fuck, you are lame, and just call him fucking Tim Armstrong, is that Lint shit supposed to earn you some punk points or something).....(maybe, no, fuck, you're right I'm lame, but in 1995 I was at a party that the other mohawk guy from Rancid was at, does that count for anything?) (No, and neither does writing a review where you enter yourself into the narrative flow as some kind of 'oh look at me, i'm being like the book i'm reviewing (but why aren't you using capitals there? Are you supposed to be Karen?) (no. this is the kind of shit you hate when other people do it, it's so fucking british of you) (oh, that's rich, making vaguely veiled references ) (vaguely veiled vaguely veiled vaguely veiled vaguely veiled vaguely veiled you alliterative asshole ) (alliterative asshole alliterative asshole alliterative asshole alliterative asshole ) ((this is really mature, yes?)) (fuck off)).
Oh, I liked the book and enjoyed reading it in one sitting out on my buildings steps in the middle of the night. And I'm looking forward to reading more of Tony Burgess (hey, hey, hey!! You wanna now how stupid I am? It just dawned on me like five seconds before writing, hey, hey, hey!! that the authors name is Anthony Burgess. I'm fucking dim.).
Oh, I liked the book and enjoyed reading it in one sitting out on my buildings steps in the middle of the night. And I'm looking forward to reading more of Tony Burgess (hey, hey, hey!! You wanna now how stupid I am? It just dawned on me like five seconds before writing, hey, hey, hey!! that the authors name is Anthony Burgess. I'm fucking dim.).
June 24, 2011
Something in me wanted desperately to put this book down after chapter three. I was angry about the way the Idaho was treated. Wrapping a main character in tarpaper so that his skin fuses with it in the sun's heat is just wrong, and Tony, I wanted to punch you in the balls at this point. Because, look, you wrote this:
"'Okay, my dear. I know it's hard for you to understand. You have such little experience with people. But the Potato is treated badly for a reason.'
Madison shakes her ringlet from the woman's palm. She doesn't look up.
'The Potato is an awful boy. He smells like rotten fish. He is dressed in filth and, why, even his parents can't stand the sight of him'...'Some people find this difficult to understand, Maddie, but here it is: some people are born in a very foul state and stay that way. We should never feel sorry for them. We should avoid them until their own rot, one day, swallows them whole.'"
But I think the author wanted that- not the punch in the balls, I don't know about that- but to so deliberately play with my sympathies that I had to recognize the deliberate manipulation in it and begin to hate the meddling, thereby transferring maybe a tiny bit of that annoyance and seed of hate towards Idaho himself. I don't know. I'm maybe wrong, but this is what happened and it is what I did.
I kept reading (karen, it was all your fault at this point) and just when I could hardly stand the absurdity of it all, the strange and unnecessariness of the hate bordering on the comedic for Idaho, in enters young girl, most definitely not mistreated, who has pretty much everything going for her, everyone's understanding-including mine, and, AND, she has concern for poor Idaho. And her name is Madison. Madison Beach. Idaho Winter. Hahahahaha. Funny. Clever. You got me, author. There is too much to read in between the lines here now, which is so DFW of you , because the lines and words themselves are enough to mess with the mind, especially since they seem so simple and unassuming.
And now enters the sea change in the book. The reader begins to be addressed point blank, the author states that he's lost control of the book, wants you as a reader to go along with that and think this, that the book has been taken from him by Idaho. And I winced. Cringed even, like I had gone to an amusement park and waited in line to board this ride because I was curious and thought the whole thing was gonna be fun and maybe a little bit scary but mostly fun, the suspense of all that clanking and ratcheting up to the top before the biggest drop now makes me wonder about the ride's structure, the qualifications of the writer-builder, do I trust him/her enough, is there insurance for this, and am I covered?
And there's no time to think this, because the drop is there, you're going down and worrying takes time away from steeling your stomach muscles against puking your guts out while your body is screaming in protest. And it's a book, only a book. Words on a page. Like my little book report of this book.
So, I don't know. I liked it. I didn't like it. It was bizarre, maybe allegorical, hell, I don't know. Parts of me were messed with, and gravity pulled at me in the wrong places. And, thinking about it now, I'm smiling but nervous that maybe someone took a picture of me during the ride, and if I look at that picture I'll see my true self. And I don't know if I can trust myself to see my true self. So I'm going to hide this review away and hope it doesn't surface until I feel better and more sure about what I read. But that doesn't mean that I won't think about getting back in line for this ride, hoping that another read will help me figure all of this, all of me out. Plus, there will be more pictures and maybe I can get a better picture of my truer self because the next time around I'll know where the camera's going to be. What a poser.
"'Okay, my dear. I know it's hard for you to understand. You have such little experience with people. But the Potato is treated badly for a reason.'
Madison shakes her ringlet from the woman's palm. She doesn't look up.
'The Potato is an awful boy. He smells like rotten fish. He is dressed in filth and, why, even his parents can't stand the sight of him'...'Some people find this difficult to understand, Maddie, but here it is: some people are born in a very foul state and stay that way. We should never feel sorry for them. We should avoid them until their own rot, one day, swallows them whole.'"
But I think the author wanted that- not the punch in the balls, I don't know about that- but to so deliberately play with my sympathies that I had to recognize the deliberate manipulation in it and begin to hate the meddling, thereby transferring maybe a tiny bit of that annoyance and seed of hate towards Idaho himself. I don't know. I'm maybe wrong, but this is what happened and it is what I did.
I kept reading (karen, it was all your fault at this point) and just when I could hardly stand the absurdity of it all, the strange and unnecessariness of the hate bordering on the comedic for Idaho, in enters young girl, most definitely not mistreated, who has pretty much everything going for her, everyone's understanding-including mine, and, AND, she has concern for poor Idaho. And her name is Madison. Madison Beach. Idaho Winter. Hahahahaha. Funny. Clever. You got me, author. There is too much to read in between the lines here now, which is so DFW of you , because the lines and words themselves are enough to mess with the mind, especially since they seem so simple and unassuming.
And now enters the sea change in the book. The reader begins to be addressed point blank, the author states that he's lost control of the book, wants you as a reader to go along with that and think this, that the book has been taken from him by Idaho. And I winced. Cringed even, like I had gone to an amusement park and waited in line to board this ride because I was curious and thought the whole thing was gonna be fun and maybe a little bit scary but mostly fun, the suspense of all that clanking and ratcheting up to the top before the biggest drop now makes me wonder about the ride's structure, the qualifications of the writer-builder, do I trust him/her enough, is there insurance for this, and am I covered?
And there's no time to think this, because the drop is there, you're going down and worrying takes time away from steeling your stomach muscles against puking your guts out while your body is screaming in protest. And it's a book, only a book. Words on a page. Like my little book report of this book.
So, I don't know. I liked it. I didn't like it. It was bizarre, maybe allegorical, hell, I don't know. Parts of me were messed with, and gravity pulled at me in the wrong places. And, thinking about it now, I'm smiling but nervous that maybe someone took a picture of me during the ride, and if I look at that picture I'll see my true self. And I don't know if I can trust myself to see my true self. So I'm going to hide this review away and hope it doesn't surface until I feel better and more sure about what I read. But that doesn't mean that I won't think about getting back in line for this ride, hoping that another read will help me figure all of this, all of me out. Plus, there will be more pictures and maybe I can get a better picture of my truer self because the next time around I'll know where the camera's going to be. What a poser.
August 16, 2024
Un libro veramente unico, un esperimento curioso che, nel complesso, ho apprezzato!
È perfetto per chi cerca un libro strano e grottesco da leggere questa estate, perché in questo libro la stranezza e l’orrore sono la portata principale, credetemi… anche perché fin dalle prime pagine, sono stata catapultata in un mondo dove le regole del racconto sono continuamente sovvertite, in un gioco di specchi che riflette e distorce la realtà letteraria.
Il protagonista, Idaho, è un bambino molto sfortunato, tutti nel suo paese lo odiano, Il guardiano del passaggio pedonale cerca di farlo investire, i compagni lo picchiano e lo chiamano "Patata", e persino le maestre incitano l'odio nei suoi confronti.
L'odio della città per Idaho è viscerale ed esagerato, l'unica persona che non lo odia è Madison, una bambina sempre gentile con lui.
Quando accade qualcosa di terribile a Madison, la colpa ricade (ovviamente) su Idaho e nella sua città inizia una vera e propria caccia alla strega, vogliono vendetta.
Ed è qui che il genio del romanzo si manifesta: Idaho non si rassegna al suo ruolo di vittima passiva. In un atto di ribellione contro il suo creatore, egli prende il controllo della propria storia, infrangendo la quarta parete e sovvertendo ogni aspettativa, elemento che non avevo mai letto in un libro e che ho apprezzato davvero tantissimo!
Non è un libro per chiunque, devi lasciarti disorientare, devi mettere in discussione le convenzioni narrative e immergerti in un mondo dove le regole sono scritte e riscritte in continuazione.
Se siete alla ricerca di una lettura che vi spinga oltre i limiti della vostra immaginazione, che vi costringa a confrontarvi con l'imprevedibile e l'inspiegabile, se cercate insomma uno di quei libri che riescono letteralmente a friggervi il cervello, allora “Idaho Winter” potrebbe piacervi tantissimo, ne sono sicura.
È perfetto per chi cerca un libro strano e grottesco da leggere questa estate, perché in questo libro la stranezza e l’orrore sono la portata principale, credetemi… anche perché fin dalle prime pagine, sono stata catapultata in un mondo dove le regole del racconto sono continuamente sovvertite, in un gioco di specchi che riflette e distorce la realtà letteraria.
Il protagonista, Idaho, è un bambino molto sfortunato, tutti nel suo paese lo odiano, Il guardiano del passaggio pedonale cerca di farlo investire, i compagni lo picchiano e lo chiamano "Patata", e persino le maestre incitano l'odio nei suoi confronti.
L'odio della città per Idaho è viscerale ed esagerato, l'unica persona che non lo odia è Madison, una bambina sempre gentile con lui.
Quando accade qualcosa di terribile a Madison, la colpa ricade (ovviamente) su Idaho e nella sua città inizia una vera e propria caccia alla strega, vogliono vendetta.
Ed è qui che il genio del romanzo si manifesta: Idaho non si rassegna al suo ruolo di vittima passiva. In un atto di ribellione contro il suo creatore, egli prende il controllo della propria storia, infrangendo la quarta parete e sovvertendo ogni aspettativa, elemento che non avevo mai letto in un libro e che ho apprezzato davvero tantissimo!
Non è un libro per chiunque, devi lasciarti disorientare, devi mettere in discussione le convenzioni narrative e immergerti in un mondo dove le regole sono scritte e riscritte in continuazione.
Se siete alla ricerca di una lettura che vi spinga oltre i limiti della vostra immaginazione, che vi costringa a confrontarvi con l'imprevedibile e l'inspiegabile, se cercate insomma uno di quei libri che riescono letteralmente a friggervi il cervello, allora “Idaho Winter” potrebbe piacervi tantissimo, ne sono sicura.
January 7, 2012
I cannot even BEGIN to describe this book.... but I'll try. Ever wondered what would happen if Lemony Snickett met Clive Barker and they took acid together inside Salvador Dali's brain? Me either, but I suspect the result would be something similar to this short novel. It's dark, surreal and humorous, and the sudden bizarre twists are guaranteed to take you by surprise, no matter how well prepared you think you are.
My only criticisms of this books would be that it gets slightly too self conscious for me in parts, and that I would have enjoyed a slightly higher proportion of the wonderful lyrical style of prose that Tony Burgess does so well, and in which the book begins. These really are minor criticisms though, and completely a matter of personal taste.
Saying anything more about this book is bound to give something way, completely mystify people or both, so I'll leave it at this: READ. THIS. BOOK. And while you're at it, read everything by Tony Burgess.
My only criticisms of this books would be that it gets slightly too self conscious for me in parts, and that I would have enjoyed a slightly higher proportion of the wonderful lyrical style of prose that Tony Burgess does so well, and in which the book begins. These really are minor criticisms though, and completely a matter of personal taste.
Saying anything more about this book is bound to give something way, completely mystify people or both, so I'll leave it at this: READ. THIS. BOOK. And while you're at it, read everything by Tony Burgess.
June 9, 2012
Pretty much the epitome of a mind-screw of a book.
No one likes Idaho Winter. This includes the crossing guard who wants to make sure he crosses the street when a car is coming, his classmates who want to beat him up, and even the school janitor who has saved a couple of hatchets for just the right time to knock him off. Doesn't really matter why no one likes Idaho. It's just the way it goes.
Then one day Madison decides she's going to be nice to him so he doesn't feel alone any more. Except, things aren't going to be that nice or clean. Remember, no one likes Idaho. It's about here I have to stop explaining what happens because basically, it's at this point where Idaho decides he's sick of the author writing the book. Idaho's going to take things into his own hands.
This is a very meta book about writing and reading and expectations of authors and characters and story and audience. Most of it makes no sense at all, and yet at the same time, the book makes absolute perfect sense. The story's assembled with pieces of Jurassic Park, as well as cameos by Billie Joe of Green Day and Green Day's drummer Tre Cool. There's also bats that are pretty vicious and a girl who causes your emotions to get stronger the closer you get to her (no, really, they have to build a rope to drag the poor girl through the story because if they got closer than 50 feet to her it would be end game). Also, characters change names and genders. Suddenly the author is at the will of the character who decided it was time to offer no good solutions and no sense whatsoever. Basically, it's Idaho giving Burgess the big middle finger. Except it's also Burgess giving Idaho the big middle finger and then both giving the same middle finger to the conventions of story telling. I'd say they're doing the same thing to the reader except I found this so funny I thought they were giving me a gift more than anything else.
I will say this went on a tad too long. It's 150 pages, and I think it could have been cut down even more to be more effective. But overall, it's the kind of book that readers who are okay with absurd stories will enjoy, and I think it's the kind of book that readers and writers will appreciate for the boundary breaking elements. It's meant to be fun. And it totally delivers on that.
But poor Idaho Winter. Even in the end, your life isn't any better.
No one likes Idaho Winter. This includes the crossing guard who wants to make sure he crosses the street when a car is coming, his classmates who want to beat him up, and even the school janitor who has saved a couple of hatchets for just the right time to knock him off. Doesn't really matter why no one likes Idaho. It's just the way it goes.
Then one day Madison decides she's going to be nice to him so he doesn't feel alone any more. Except, things aren't going to be that nice or clean. Remember, no one likes Idaho. It's about here I have to stop explaining what happens because basically, it's at this point where Idaho decides he's sick of the author writing the book. Idaho's going to take things into his own hands.
This is a very meta book about writing and reading and expectations of authors and characters and story and audience. Most of it makes no sense at all, and yet at the same time, the book makes absolute perfect sense. The story's assembled with pieces of Jurassic Park, as well as cameos by Billie Joe of Green Day and Green Day's drummer Tre Cool. There's also bats that are pretty vicious and a girl who causes your emotions to get stronger the closer you get to her (no, really, they have to build a rope to drag the poor girl through the story because if they got closer than 50 feet to her it would be end game). Also, characters change names and genders. Suddenly the author is at the will of the character who decided it was time to offer no good solutions and no sense whatsoever. Basically, it's Idaho giving Burgess the big middle finger. Except it's also Burgess giving Idaho the big middle finger and then both giving the same middle finger to the conventions of story telling. I'd say they're doing the same thing to the reader except I found this so funny I thought they were giving me a gift more than anything else.
I will say this went on a tad too long. It's 150 pages, and I think it could have been cut down even more to be more effective. But overall, it's the kind of book that readers who are okay with absurd stories will enjoy, and I think it's the kind of book that readers and writers will appreciate for the boundary breaking elements. It's meant to be fun. And it totally delivers on that.
But poor Idaho Winter. Even in the end, your life isn't any better.
May 6, 2024
Follia TOTALE
La premessa allucinante, creativa in modo spaziale ed eseguita talmente bene da essere incredibile.
Una spirale discendente che è migliorata e migliorata fino a che ha raggiunto un punto, non saprei definire bene quale (ma lo identificherei subito dopo alla poliziotta ingoiata dalla rana ingoiata dal bassista dei green day), in cui è diventata il troppo che stroppia. Il nonsense che fino a quel momento era stato utilizzato come un intelligentissimo espediente narrativo per creare confusione e angoscia, in grado di tenermi incollata alle pagine, rapita dagli interrogativi di questo mondo era in un equilibrio sottilissimo, e penso che quella parte si sia protratta il tanto che bastava per passare alla fase REM, intesa come accettazione dell'onirico, un po' come quel deludentissimo momento in cui stai facendo un incubo terribile ma intrigante, e ad un tratto realizzi "ok, questo è troppo. Sto sognando".
Anche il finale lascia un pochino a desiderare.
Un vero peccato. Se avessi dovuto guardare solo la prima parte sarebbe stato un 5 stelle serenissimo - non solo per la premessa geniale, la sua realizzazione fin dalle prime pagine e le ottime descrizioni, ma la sconvolgente creatività e l'efficacia emotiva di moltissima della seconda parte (le Bat-mom agghiaccianti con le fauci a tagliola, il letto dell'amica inferma al quale non ci si può avvicinare sotto i 15 metri pena una tristezza da far perdere la testa, la faccia-narratore del consulente scolastico incollata alla schiena della poliziotta, l'instancabile accettazione dell'assurdo, il cambio apparentemente casuale del genere dei personaggi .... potrei andare avanti)
La premessa allucinante, creativa in modo spaziale ed eseguita talmente bene da essere incredibile.
Una spirale discendente che è migliorata e migliorata fino a che ha raggiunto un punto, non saprei definire bene quale (ma lo identificherei subito dopo alla poliziotta ingoiata dalla rana ingoiata dal bassista dei green day), in cui è diventata il troppo che stroppia. Il nonsense che fino a quel momento era stato utilizzato come un intelligentissimo espediente narrativo per creare confusione e angoscia, in grado di tenermi incollata alle pagine, rapita dagli interrogativi di questo mondo era in un equilibrio sottilissimo, e penso che quella parte si sia protratta il tanto che bastava per passare alla fase REM, intesa come accettazione dell'onirico, un po' come quel deludentissimo momento in cui stai facendo un incubo terribile ma intrigante, e ad un tratto realizzi "ok, questo è troppo. Sto sognando".
Anche il finale lascia un pochino a desiderare.
Un vero peccato. Se avessi dovuto guardare solo la prima parte sarebbe stato un 5 stelle serenissimo - non solo per la premessa geniale, la sua realizzazione fin dalle prime pagine e le ottime descrizioni, ma la sconvolgente creatività e l'efficacia emotiva di moltissima della seconda parte (le Bat-mom agghiaccianti con le fauci a tagliola, il letto dell'amica inferma al quale non ci si può avvicinare sotto i 15 metri pena una tristezza da far perdere la testa, la faccia-narratore del consulente scolastico incollata alla schiena della poliziotta, l'instancabile accettazione dell'assurdo, il cambio apparentemente casuale del genere dei personaggi .... potrei andare avanti)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
Idaho Winter è anarchia. Un romanzo metaletterario che gioca con il lettore come il gatto con il topo. Assurdo e accettabile, piacevole e fastidioso.
Incipit: Idaho Winter ha una vita grottesca e inverosimilmente squallida, tanto che all’inizio del libro fa colazione con una carogna infestata di vermi.
Poi la situazione peggiora, con gli abitanti della città che assalgono Idaho, posseduti da una crudeltà istintiva e omicida che Burgess considera parte inevitabile della condizione umana.
A un terzo del libro, tuttavia, Idaho viene presentato all’autore e si accorge di essere capace di scrivere la propria storia, pur scomparendo dal testo stesso.
È un romanzo sull’indifferenza delle persone che accettano la sofferenza degli altri giustificando i soprusi nei loro confronti. È una celebrazione del male, del dolore e della superficialità. Tremendo da leggere, ma allo stesso tempo irresistibile per la sua malvagità .
Incipit: Idaho Winter ha una vita grottesca e inverosimilmente squallida, tanto che all’inizio del libro fa colazione con una carogna infestata di vermi.
Poi la situazione peggiora, con gli abitanti della città che assalgono Idaho, posseduti da una crudeltà istintiva e omicida che Burgess considera parte inevitabile della condizione umana.
A un terzo del libro, tuttavia, Idaho viene presentato all’autore e si accorge di essere capace di scrivere la propria storia, pur scomparendo dal testo stesso.
È un romanzo sull’indifferenza delle persone che accettano la sofferenza degli altri giustificando i soprusi nei loro confronti. È una celebrazione del male, del dolore e della superficialità. Tremendo da leggere, ma allo stesso tempo irresistibile per la sua malvagità .
March 9, 2024
Questo è veramente assurdo.
Non riesco a spiegarlo, mi sento un fesso.
Un po’ Tim Burton, un po’ The Truman Show.
Idaho è un bimbo odiato da tutti, ma proprio tutti, giovani, anziani, animali ed oggetti.
Non c’è un perché.
Ma tutti lo odiano, questo è certo.
Il narratore ci inserisce nella sua storia nell’unica parte che ci spetta, quella di lettori.
Noi restiamo lettori, il narratore ed Idaho un po’ meno le loro parti.
Un delirio meta-narrativo che finirete in breve tempo ma che assimilerete con molta più calma.
Punti in più per l’edizione curatissima.
Non riesco a spiegarlo, mi sento un fesso.
Un po’ Tim Burton, un po’ The Truman Show.
Idaho è un bimbo odiato da tutti, ma proprio tutti, giovani, anziani, animali ed oggetti.
Non c’è un perché.
Ma tutti lo odiano, questo è certo.
Il narratore ci inserisce nella sua storia nell’unica parte che ci spetta, quella di lettori.
Noi restiamo lettori, il narratore ed Idaho un po’ meno le loro parti.
Un delirio meta-narrativo che finirete in breve tempo ma che assimilerete con molta più calma.
Punti in più per l’edizione curatissima.
August 23, 2024
Die Beschreibung hat mich dermaßen gecatcht, dass ich das Buch vorbestellt habe und am Erscheinungstag im Briefkasten vorfand.
Und ich muss wirklich sagen, so einen abgedrehten Erzählstil hab ich noch nicht erlebt. Diese fast experimentelle Struktur und Machart war schon besonders.
Für den Stil und das Format gibt es volle 5/5. Allerdings fand ich die Geschichte an sich leider nur "meh", also mittelmäßig. Daher insgesamt 3,5-4 Sterne.
Und ich muss wirklich sagen, so einen abgedrehten Erzählstil hab ich noch nicht erlebt. Diese fast experimentelle Struktur und Machart war schon besonders.
Für den Stil und das Format gibt es volle 5/5. Allerdings fand ich die Geschichte an sich leider nur "meh", also mittelmäßig. Daher insgesamt 3,5-4 Sterne.
March 13, 2024
3.5-4/5
April 8, 2024
Very fun and subversive horror that benefits from a lot of dark humor...but it also comes close to overstaying its welcome (even at its short length).
May 16, 2011
Idaho Winter is one of those books that is going to mess with your mind. The cover makes it seem like it’s a reprint of a book published in the 40s or 50s. The opening scene is reminiscent of Harry Potter, in that Idaho is the boy cramped in a tiny room and unloved by his family, and Back to the Future, where McFly is bullied by Biff. Like Harry Potter, the reader learns what’s happening at the same as Harry does. In this case, the reader learns what’s happening at the same time as the author, who is our narrator and main protagonist, that is once it switches from Idaho. Very post modern. Like Back to the Future, Marty McFly can mess things up and prevent his parents from getting together. In this case, the author, or any character, could, and has, messed things up.
Confused? Let me tell you a little about the story.
Idaho gets beaten up, flees to the river, where he finds Madison, who wants to be his friend, but the kids, dogs and adults of the town chase him down and sic the dogs on him. But the dogs get Madison instead. Then Idaho becomes a giant and there are Mom-bats and secret caves and people turn into chocolate. Not kidding.
Idaho Winter is one of the most bizarre books I’ve ever read. I don’t mean that critically either. Do you know how dream stories are bizarre when told in the light of day? Well, that’s Idaho Winter. Characters morph into other characters. Perspective changes. Landscape shifts and changes. Things that are unexplainable make perfect sense, at the time.
Confused? Let me tell you a little about the story.
Idaho gets beaten up, flees to the river, where he finds Madison, who wants to be his friend, but the kids, dogs and adults of the town chase him down and sic the dogs on him. But the dogs get Madison instead. Then Idaho becomes a giant and there are Mom-bats and secret caves and people turn into chocolate. Not kidding.
Idaho Winter is one of the most bizarre books I’ve ever read. I don’t mean that critically either. Do you know how dream stories are bizarre when told in the light of day? Well, that’s Idaho Winter. Characters morph into other characters. Perspective changes. Landscape shifts and changes. Things that are unexplainable make perfect sense, at the time.
July 20, 2012
An interesting book hampered by its concept.
This is a short and interesting bit of meta-fiction, and I wanted to like it more than I did. The cover and blurb present this a "boy's-own" sort of children's book with a hint of something sinister. That's a pretty accurate description, until it gets really strange.
I can't not give too much away. Suffice to say, this is a poorly written kid's book wherein the none-too-talented author somehow gets trapped into his own fiction and beholden to the adolescent character he had created, whose powers become unexpectedly greater than the author's slim words.
That's what really tore me away from the book, because after that point it becomes very formalist. You start with the original text, which then breaks down. After that we have to play another game with the author, which is now two steps away from the original story. It's a fun game, and I won't spoil the end for you, but it's a cold game with almost purely logical aims.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. It has got some pretty rarified pleasures, but they are stepped upon by design.
If you're looking for a quick bit of gonzo literature, check this out. It succeeds in its aims. Unfortunately, its aims also succeed in reducing its goals.
Maybe that was the point? Burgess has created a fine confection here that he has also spiked with mediocrity. I can't help but think that was his aim, it just may not be that enjoyable.
This is a short and interesting bit of meta-fiction, and I wanted to like it more than I did. The cover and blurb present this a "boy's-own" sort of children's book with a hint of something sinister. That's a pretty accurate description, until it gets really strange.
I can't not give too much away. Suffice to say, this is a poorly written kid's book wherein the none-too-talented author somehow gets trapped into his own fiction and beholden to the adolescent character he had created, whose powers become unexpectedly greater than the author's slim words.
That's what really tore me away from the book, because after that point it becomes very formalist. You start with the original text, which then breaks down. After that we have to play another game with the author, which is now two steps away from the original story. It's a fun game, and I won't spoil the end for you, but it's a cold game with almost purely logical aims.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. It has got some pretty rarified pleasures, but they are stepped upon by design.
If you're looking for a quick bit of gonzo literature, check this out. It succeeds in its aims. Unfortunately, its aims also succeed in reducing its goals.
Maybe that was the point? Burgess has created a fine confection here that he has also spiked with mediocrity. I can't help but think that was his aim, it just may not be that enjoyable.
May 1, 2011
Tony Burgess, whose psychedelic, careening novel Pontypool Changes Everything prompted the Toronto Star to call him a “dark genius”, has written a new book that will further entrench him as a conjuror of disturbing and imaginative tales.
Idaho Winter is about a ninth-grade boy who attracts abuse like manure draws flies. His father makes him eat roadkill for breakfast, his classmates beat him every day while neighbors look on with approval, and one town resident even raises vicious pit bulls specifically to kill him. Just as Idaho is on the verge of making his first friend, a young girl named Madison, the two children are separated and the book’s narrator suddenly becomes a character in a bizarre, malevolent world controlled by a vengeful Idaho. Realizing that the only way to calm the bitter boy is to reunite him with Madison, the narrator and a handful of other characters embark on a quest that exposes them to all kinds of dangers from Idaho’s imagination: dinosaurs, Mom-bats (ferocious killers whose heads resemble Idaho’s mother), and a floating, child-snatching preacher.
Like Pontypool Changes Everything, this new offering from Burgess is a train wreck that careens along at breakneck speed. The characters and storyline combine Franz Kafka with the Brothers Grimm, making Idaho Winter an adult fairy tale with cautionary undertones. This type of book is an acquired taste that’s definitely worth the effort to develop.
Idaho Winter is about a ninth-grade boy who attracts abuse like manure draws flies. His father makes him eat roadkill for breakfast, his classmates beat him every day while neighbors look on with approval, and one town resident even raises vicious pit bulls specifically to kill him. Just as Idaho is on the verge of making his first friend, a young girl named Madison, the two children are separated and the book’s narrator suddenly becomes a character in a bizarre, malevolent world controlled by a vengeful Idaho. Realizing that the only way to calm the bitter boy is to reunite him with Madison, the narrator and a handful of other characters embark on a quest that exposes them to all kinds of dangers from Idaho’s imagination: dinosaurs, Mom-bats (ferocious killers whose heads resemble Idaho’s mother), and a floating, child-snatching preacher.
Like Pontypool Changes Everything, this new offering from Burgess is a train wreck that careens along at breakneck speed. The characters and storyline combine Franz Kafka with the Brothers Grimm, making Idaho Winter an adult fairy tale with cautionary undertones. This type of book is an acquired taste that’s definitely worth the effort to develop.
December 26, 2016
Now this was a quick read. I think less than two hours in an airport lobby. I was excited to read some Tony Burgess after seeing Pontypool, the film based upon his later book, which I liked quite a lot. Given the film, it wasn't too surprising that this book has a novel, if not gimmicky, premise, but whereas the film excelled in execution, this book is stymied by nonsensical transitions and what felt like an incredibly rushed ending (the oh-shit-it's-due-tomorrow syndrome). The premise is interesting enough to excuse some of the frustrating parts, but there's enough meta-fiction out there to show it can be done better. If you're a die-hard Burgess fan, or lover of meta-fiction in general, e.g. House of Leaves, a good number of Borges stories, and many others, the small time investment may well make Idaho Winter worth the read. Otherwise, I can't recommend it too highly to fiction readers in general. That all said, I may well read more Burgess in the future, as I've been told this is one of his earliest works, and his writing improves significantly in later works.
January 3, 2015
You will like this book if you love gimmicks and cheap literary devices. You will also love this book if you don't care about: plot, story, characters, descriptions, or fun.
June 18, 2024
L’incipit del romanzo ricorda da vicino l’attacco di Oliver Twist, con la descrizione della misera stanzetta in cui i genitori tengono segregato il piccolo Idaho:
«una scatoletta angusta e sudicia con pareti scolorite che hanno ceduto un po’ verso l’interno, restringendo lo spazio già misero».
È da subito chiaro che lo stato di degrado in cui versa Idaho è talmente estremo da apparire grottesco, se non addirittura parodistico:
«La puzza di pesce proveniente dal letto riempie la stanza e quasi soffoca Idaho nel sonno. Povero, piccolo Idaho. Si tira su a sedere, poi si piega e vomita sulla schiena di un grasso topo addormentato. Il topo non si sveglia».
Solo una bambina, Madison, prova tenerezza verso Idaho, ma per gli abitanti della città il rapporto di amicizia tra i due è un’aberrazione da evitare a tutti i costi, finanche con l’uccisione del ragazzino.
Per quanto tutto ciò appaia avvilente e inverosimile, il narratore specifica con freddezza che:
«non si può fare niente. Tu non puoi fare nulla. Sei il lettore. Non puoi cambiare i fatti».
A un certo punto, però, la narrazione subisce una svolta repentina.
Idaho si ribella alla storyline prevista per lui dalla voce narrante, che si ritrova catapultato nel romanzo senza più averne il controllo.
«una scatoletta angusta e sudicia con pareti scolorite che hanno ceduto un po’ verso l’interno, restringendo lo spazio già misero».
È da subito chiaro che lo stato di degrado in cui versa Idaho è talmente estremo da apparire grottesco, se non addirittura parodistico:
«La puzza di pesce proveniente dal letto riempie la stanza e quasi soffoca Idaho nel sonno. Povero, piccolo Idaho. Si tira su a sedere, poi si piega e vomita sulla schiena di un grasso topo addormentato. Il topo non si sveglia».
Solo una bambina, Madison, prova tenerezza verso Idaho, ma per gli abitanti della città il rapporto di amicizia tra i due è un’aberrazione da evitare a tutti i costi, finanche con l’uccisione del ragazzino.
Per quanto tutto ciò appaia avvilente e inverosimile, il narratore specifica con freddezza che:
«non si può fare niente. Tu non puoi fare nulla. Sei il lettore. Non puoi cambiare i fatti».
A un certo punto, però, la narrazione subisce una svolta repentina.
Idaho si ribella alla storyline prevista per lui dalla voce narrante, che si ritrova catapultato nel romanzo senza più averne il controllo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2024
«Tu probabilmente ti diverti a guardarmi perdere il controllo del mio libro. Dei miei personaggi. E adesso, sembra che io sia perfettamente in grado di perdere il controllo anche di me stesso.»
Mi prenderò del tempo per parlarne e per tornarci su: quello che scrivo ora è un commento breve e a caldo, dopo aver appena chiuso il libro.
Un romanzo metaletterario completamente fuori di testa, una favola nera, ma soprattutto la storia di come un narratore (e un autore) possa essere messo nel sacco dal suo stesso personaggio.
Idaho Winter ha sicuramente come fulcro la vendetta, ma di base è la sofferenza a farla da padrone. E ci ricorda che spesso i personaggi che incontriamo sono più di quello che ci sembra. O che sembra al suo stesso autore.
Bisogna far attenzione a ciò che si immagina o si desidera, perché potrebbe avverarsi e non come lo si crede.
Mi prenderò del tempo per parlarne e per tornarci su: quello che scrivo ora è un commento breve e a caldo, dopo aver appena chiuso il libro.
Un romanzo metaletterario completamente fuori di testa, una favola nera, ma soprattutto la storia di come un narratore (e un autore) possa essere messo nel sacco dal suo stesso personaggio.
Idaho Winter ha sicuramente come fulcro la vendetta, ma di base è la sofferenza a farla da padrone. E ci ricorda che spesso i personaggi che incontriamo sono più di quello che ci sembra. O che sembra al suo stesso autore.
Bisogna far attenzione a ciò che si immagina o si desidera, perché potrebbe avverarsi e non come lo si crede.
April 18, 2024
Boh
A me è sembrato di essere all' interno di un delirio alcolico..
Cominciato bene, molto invitante e scorrevole coi suoi capitoli corti e veloci..
Finché il protagonista, Idaho Winter, comincia a cambiare ruolo e diventa, anziché il bambino odiato da tutti e preso di mira per ogni sorta di cattiveria, il narratore.
Da qui in avanti, un mondo distopico assurdo e un po' splatter che, però,non va a finire da nessuna parte!
Belle le note dell' editor che ti fanno saltare da una pagina all' altra (senza comunque andare da nessuna parte)
In sintesi, mea culpa..ai fan dei romanzi distopici può senz' altro piacere!
Felici comunque di aver affrontato un genere che non prediligo (in fondo 130 pagine scorrono veloci!)
A me è sembrato di essere all' interno di un delirio alcolico..
Cominciato bene, molto invitante e scorrevole coi suoi capitoli corti e veloci..
Finché il protagonista, Idaho Winter, comincia a cambiare ruolo e diventa, anziché il bambino odiato da tutti e preso di mira per ogni sorta di cattiveria, il narratore.
Da qui in avanti, un mondo distopico assurdo e un po' splatter che, però,non va a finire da nessuna parte!
Belle le note dell' editor che ti fanno saltare da una pagina all' altra (senza comunque andare da nessuna parte)
In sintesi, mea culpa..ai fan dei romanzi distopici può senz' altro piacere!
Felici comunque di aver affrontato un genere che non prediligo (in fondo 130 pagine scorrono veloci!)
May 18, 2024
Inizia come la storia assurda di un ragazzino odiato da tutto il paese senza nessun motivo particolare. Talmente odiato che cercano continuamente di ucciderlo. Di punto in bianco la narrazione in terza persona diventa in prima, ma non di Idaho ma del narratore stesso che comincia a dialogare con il lettore, portandolo in un’altra storia, quasi un altro pianeta caotico dove convivono dinosauri e bat-mamme. Può essere uno spunto interessante? Forse per qualcuno, io non sono quel tipo di lettrice e non ho molta pazienza per seguire un libro in cui non riesco totalmente a immergermi
January 9, 2018
Hands down the most bizarre book I’ve ever read. It’s like taking one of your dreams and trying to make it into a novel. Except instead of filling in the blanks, you just tell it like it is. Even the bits that make no sense at all. It’s brilliant and I really enjoyed it! Go read it, because there’s no way I can accurately describe it.
March 22, 2024
Questo libro è un gioco letterario a tratti molto spassoso, soprattutto se cogli i riferimenti alla scrittura. Io ci ho visto anche un po’ di Drive-in di Lansdale, quella follia apparentemente insensata che ti lascia con un pugno di mosche
June 5, 2017
What a sad, strange little story.
November 1, 2018
Started off very interesting but quickly unraveled into mediocrity.
October 30, 2019
i didn't really like the Green Day stuff (maybe if he had chosen a good band i wouldn't have minde but Green Day just fucking sucks) but other than that i dug it
November 9, 2019
Tony Burgess is a goddamn weirdo genius.
October 12, 2020
This starts so well, the premise is so intriguing but then it just gets really weird.
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