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Anthology Complex
An individual who is physically unsubscribed to the world attempts to understand what it means to be human.
First published August 2, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 3, 2015
Unlike any book I have ever read. This book expanded my mind and perception on the world around us differently with every "chapter". Anthology Complex is filled with creative ideas, meanings and answers to questions I never knew I had until I read it. If you have a curious mind, this book is a must read!
June 2, 2016
This book started out so strong. I immediately fell in love with it. However, I quickly tired of reading things that didn't make sense. It stopped being thought provoking around 1/4 of the way in. It had so much potential.
May 23, 2015
Started skimming and gave up. To me it was like listening to the ramblings of someone off their face. Thanks but I don't want to read about every dream you've had.
June 9, 2015
Absolutely amazing read, especially if you have an interest in dream psychology or the philosophy behind human morality. Being relatively introverted and misanthropic myself made it easy to connect with the thoughts and ideas that are presented, so I think it may be difficult for some to comprehend on an emotional level, but I could be wrong. It's written in a stream of consciousness style so some times it can be hard to differentiate between dreams and reality, but it's all amazing and beautiful and thought provoking. Highly recommended.
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but throughout the book the is a smattering of references to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. Large sections of the novel resemble the album with themes of death, greed, sanity, and the passage of time, so you can see where the author may have gotten some of his inspiration. This is always very subtle, aside from maybe the last line, so it doesn't interfere with the narrative, but if you're a Floyd fan you may get some extra enjoyment out of this.
P.S. I'm not sure if this is a spoiler or not, but throughout the book the is a smattering of references to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album. Large sections of the novel resemble the album with themes of death, greed, sanity, and the passage of time, so you can see where the author may have gotten some of his inspiration. This is always very subtle, aside from maybe the last line, so it doesn't interfere with the narrative, but if you're a Floyd fan you may get some extra enjoyment out of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2015
2/5? The high ratings had me going gaga so when I started it I naturally thought it would go better than it did. This book gave me a headache each time I picked it up to be honest! The whole thing is one big fat monologue! Maybe i'm in need of a perspective different from the one I have or maybe I need to 'grow up' intellectually to thoroughly understand what the protagonist was trying to convey. Either way it kind of sucked.
On the bright side I did learn some stuff, gained an insight into how we can perceive life differently and some of the ramblings of the insane madman of a protagonist actually did make sense! You did not think I gave it 2/5 for nothing did ya? xP
Whether you decide to read it or not is upto you. I would not stop you from reading it nor would I insist that you do. This is where the concept of #FreeWill comes into picture I reckon(One of the many trivial-but-apparently-not-so-trivial-to-some things I came to know from this book).
On the bright side I did learn some stuff, gained an insight into how we can perceive life differently and some of the ramblings of the insane madman of a protagonist actually did make sense! You did not think I gave it 2/5 for nothing did ya? xP
Whether you decide to read it or not is upto you. I would not stop you from reading it nor would I insist that you do. This is where the concept of #FreeWill comes into picture I reckon(One of the many trivial-but-apparently-not-so-trivial-to-some things I came to know from this book).
May 1, 2015
This book definitely stands apart from any book I have ever read. It is incredibly thought provoking and interesting. In some instances I definitely could relate to the character and in others not at all. However, I enjoyed the narrator's frank honesty about their thoughts and feelings. Overall, nothing really happens story wise but so much happens at the same time. It leaves you feeling disconnected from the world but, at the same time, connected to the character. Very interesting read.
September 4, 2015
The ending of this book leaves much to desire and because of that the experience is sort of ruined. However, it was a serious page turner. I found myself bookmarking every other page, as the thoughts of the narrator on life invited me to ponder my own philosophies. It's a great group discussion book.
August 7, 2015
Definitely thought provoking. Just finished the book and am lost for words.. Dam. Great read.
August 23, 2015
This book was extremely good and I loved the concept but I have to take one star away for all the grammatical errors
June 19, 2015
Ugh. I have a very low tolerance for listening to someone ramble incessantly about their dreams. Could not get past the first chapter.
Currently reading
August 7, 2015Discriptive and touchy
September 11, 2015
I read about 30% of it. I felt it was boring. Interesting to a point but would be better as their dreams in shorts stories.
February 2, 2016
In short, entertaining and mind opening.
June 30, 2016
This is one of the strangest and most confusing books I have ever read. Within these odd, recorded interactions, we get a glimpse of this strange character (that it is hard not to become fond of).
May 18, 2017
eread
July 16, 2021
The beginning of the book sounds so exciting and psychoanalytically deep but as you read through the chapters it starts getting literary poorer.
As the name of the book implies it is anthological so the chapters are not so coherent.
I liked the almost identityless form of the narrator, at a lot of times it feels like it's a spirit.
At a lot of times, it feels that the narrator is semi-misanthropic.
I would say only the first quarter of the book is worth reading.
favorite quotes from the book:
''For so long I have cursed this life, but in the end I can only come to accept it because I believe we all suffer from the anthology complex. We all compile these short stories that turn into fantasies. We all suffer from this condition where we live the life of someone else, the story of someone else, where we see ourselves as ourselves, but under a different persona. Sometimes this persona is a big change, or a slight change. It doesn't just come in the form of dreams, but in the form of fictional work.''
''I write down all of the dreams I can remember because I believe it's possible that the people we are in our dreams could be another us in another life spawned by the decisions we didn't make in this life. How different our life could have been and how different we could have been as a person if one little decision was altered.''
''Finding so much meaning in a life drowned in meaningless. This purposeless life. A life with no driver. A life that never passed by under the green light. I try to trick my mind, I try to fool myself. This is me, walking down this long road of parked cars. This is me looking inside all of these cars, looking for a driver. Looking for a sign of life, but the only life I can find are in my dreams.''
''For so long I have cursed this life, but in the end I can only come to accept it because I believe we all suffer from the anthology complex. We all compile these short stories that turn into fantasies. We all suffer from this condition where we live the life of someone else, the story of someone else, where we see ourselves as ourselves, but under a different persona. Sometimes this persona is a big change, or a slight change. It doesn't just come in the form of dreams, but in the form of fictional work.''
''The problem with trying to remember a dream is that it's like a faded memory sometimes, and if enough time passes by, say a few years, it gets harder and harder to distinguish a memory from a dream. Reality from fiction.''
''Do you steal that money and give it to those who need it? Robin Hood would say yes. He would say you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason.''
''I start to wonder if she is always in a hurry because she wants to be in a hurry, like a piece of rock moving through outer space on some pointless voyage to nowhere. I start to think, are people the way they are simply because they are that way, and they want to stay that way.''
''That people can never change. Not unless a force comes along and changes them. Maybe a force such as love, or hate.''
''I start to wonder if there is a mathematical formula out there that determines what kind of person someone will be. What kind of person someone is. How they will react to a certain event. Can I write down these two peoples' equations and finally understand, finally know who they truly are.''
''Furthermore, if there is an afterlife, and there is a nowlife, it is perfectly logical to assume that there is a beforelife, our existence before we are sent here, to this life.''
As the name of the book implies it is anthological so the chapters are not so coherent.
I liked the almost identityless form of the narrator, at a lot of times it feels like it's a spirit.
At a lot of times, it feels that the narrator is semi-misanthropic.
I would say only the first quarter of the book is worth reading.
favorite quotes from the book:
''For so long I have cursed this life, but in the end I can only come to accept it because I believe we all suffer from the anthology complex. We all compile these short stories that turn into fantasies. We all suffer from this condition where we live the life of someone else, the story of someone else, where we see ourselves as ourselves, but under a different persona. Sometimes this persona is a big change, or a slight change. It doesn't just come in the form of dreams, but in the form of fictional work.''
''I write down all of the dreams I can remember because I believe it's possible that the people we are in our dreams could be another us in another life spawned by the decisions we didn't make in this life. How different our life could have been and how different we could have been as a person if one little decision was altered.''
''Finding so much meaning in a life drowned in meaningless. This purposeless life. A life with no driver. A life that never passed by under the green light. I try to trick my mind, I try to fool myself. This is me, walking down this long road of parked cars. This is me looking inside all of these cars, looking for a driver. Looking for a sign of life, but the only life I can find are in my dreams.''
''For so long I have cursed this life, but in the end I can only come to accept it because I believe we all suffer from the anthology complex. We all compile these short stories that turn into fantasies. We all suffer from this condition where we live the life of someone else, the story of someone else, where we see ourselves as ourselves, but under a different persona. Sometimes this persona is a big change, or a slight change. It doesn't just come in the form of dreams, but in the form of fictional work.''
''The problem with trying to remember a dream is that it's like a faded memory sometimes, and if enough time passes by, say a few years, it gets harder and harder to distinguish a memory from a dream. Reality from fiction.''
''Do you steal that money and give it to those who need it? Robin Hood would say yes. He would say you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason.''
''I start to wonder if she is always in a hurry because she wants to be in a hurry, like a piece of rock moving through outer space on some pointless voyage to nowhere. I start to think, are people the way they are simply because they are that way, and they want to stay that way.''
''That people can never change. Not unless a force comes along and changes them. Maybe a force such as love, or hate.''
''I start to wonder if there is a mathematical formula out there that determines what kind of person someone will be. What kind of person someone is. How they will react to a certain event. Can I write down these two peoples' equations and finally understand, finally know who they truly are.''
''Furthermore, if there is an afterlife, and there is a nowlife, it is perfectly logical to assume that there is a beforelife, our existence before we are sent here, to this life.''
January 7, 2020
Technically, from the psychological angle, it is powerful, but lacks the connection needed to move to the next literature stage
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2022
The honesty, thoughts and feelings described in the book are just amazing and I could totally feel them.
A must read!
A must read!
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November 24, 2022🥰😍
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February 26, 2024i hate you
August 7, 2024
Good Book
July 1, 2015
People take different things from the same information. I think this book is one of those pieces that is completely appropriate for one kind of person and entirely wrong for another.
Personally, I loved it. The author, a misanthrope with a penchant for fly-on-the-wall observation, challenged me to think outside the neat little box of truths I've built around my life.
I do believe everyone can take something of value from Anthology Complex; however, I can see how the nontraditional format of the book is off-putting to some readers (hence the bad reviews.) Still, considering the stream of consciousness style of writing Julien uses throughout the work, the format seems fitting.
Highly recommended for anyone with a curiosity and/or zest for life and the mysteries that lie within.
Personally, I loved it. The author, a misanthrope with a penchant for fly-on-the-wall observation, challenged me to think outside the neat little box of truths I've built around my life.
I do believe everyone can take something of value from Anthology Complex; however, I can see how the nontraditional format of the book is off-putting to some readers (hence the bad reviews.) Still, considering the stream of consciousness style of writing Julien uses throughout the work, the format seems fitting.
Highly recommended for anyone with a curiosity and/or zest for life and the mysteries that lie within.
September 2, 2016
Dreams it's all about dreams, or is it?
I don't expect much from free stuff, like this book which was a free ebook, but to my surprise this was truly wonderful.
If you have so many questions about life, and wonder who we are and stuffs like that. This book will keep you entertained.
As I mentioned above "Dreams". I love to dream whether it's day or night. And finding the hidden meaning behind them is quite intriguing. The books takes you on a mindfulness journey on it own. Where the author took the dreams parade to a whole new level.
"Dreams are the answer to question we don't know yet how to ask"
I don't expect much from free stuff, like this book which was a free ebook, but to my surprise this was truly wonderful.
If you have so many questions about life, and wonder who we are and stuffs like that. This book will keep you entertained.
As I mentioned above "Dreams". I love to dream whether it's day or night. And finding the hidden meaning behind them is quite intriguing. The books takes you on a mindfulness journey on it own. Where the author took the dreams parade to a whole new level.
"Dreams are the answer to question we don't know yet how to ask"
June 5, 2017
This is one of those books that reads like a collection of MFA short stories strung together as a novel. As with those books, this one has some segments of great brilliance and excellent writing, but the book as a whole never really comes together.
An interesting read, but don't go out of your way.
An interesting read, but don't go out of your way.
November 27, 2015
At first the novel seemed very introspective, addressing a number of themes. It gradually became more confusing as the author tried to develop a plotline based around his opinions/ideas about the human mind. Thus it was disjointed because the story came second to his opinions.
September 26, 2015
It's a psychological build-up fiction, a man who's obsessed with writing down his dreams and trying to find out what do they really mean in the way of analysing human nature and its function.
This book provokes your brain to think, if you like to think deeply then this book is made for you :)
This book provokes your brain to think, if you like to think deeply then this book is made for you :)
October 5, 2016
If you are wondering whether or not this might be a fun summer read, look elsewhere. If you want to challenge your mind and your perceptions of yourself and the world around you, well then, dig in. Good read.
August 24, 2015
如果这是作者的亲身经历，那这个客观存在的主人该是有多么迷人啊。也许，这样的人大概是不善与这个社会做过多肤浅的交流，被周遭的了解和发现他们的迷人之处的人恐怕是微乎其微。I love this book. :)
June 27, 2015
Whatever is being said in this book needs to go on Facebook - mindless!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews