Curtis > Recent Status Updates

Really interesting premise & world I love seeing more of--incredible architectural/setting art & villain design; atmospheric & bleak. Story/characters very weak--story more to 'tell' setting instead of other way round. Each time I think it's getting narrative thrust it shifts to something else. Like a series of short stories on journey to bigger quest. Would've been much stronger with outline. Still curious to go on!

Wow Pynchon is adamant about not advancing the plot. Just now did they start on the Mason-Dixon line, after a very ramblind double-dialogue with Washington & his wife. Having a hard time going with the flow of tangent upon tangent, even though by now I know the book isn't about forward momentum. I keep thinking 'style over substance' when reading this, because even characterization seems surface level.

Still not super keen on it; seems to have flashes that I really enjoy, but lots of moments that are free floating and prose-focused. Segmented storytelling similar to Wind Up Bird Chronicles, other surrealist novels. Only titular characters stand out, plus quirky characters that never come back again after short appearances. Pynchon can build a sentence but isn't as strong with plots.

Went through very rough patch where lack of inciting incident, minimal characterization, loose story structure began to irk. Now seems things picking up with needed insight into Mason's character, conflict at home, call to action. Trying to go with flow of post-modern/surreal variety of events that seem unconnected (the ear in a jar etc). Not easy read, unnaounced time jumping a bit frustrating. Willing to continue.

Might be a bit episodic in plot, with M&D getting into various separate adventures in each location? Slow paced, but not bloated. Transit of Venus beautifully done, wonders of science, esp. for the time, well communicated. Contrasted against ugly colonial backdrop of slavery, human auctions, girls sexualized (in way I thought a bit dicey from the author; creepy territory). Hope more characterizing M&D. Overall good!

Prose difficult at first; eased up as I went. Still demands more attention than usual to parse out, especially since speakers not clearly/repeatedly stated so you need to keep track. Wonderfully written once over initial hurdle; atmospheric & poetic. Quirky without being twee; fantasy elements mostly from character's superstitions. Strong incidental humour. Not super gripped yet, encouraged / intimidated. Promising!

MW folds culture of manners into argument: women can't live up to inherent virtues (motherhood, grace etc) without education & opportunity. Product of its time in ways (against reading too many novels, equates fashion/dress with lack of intelligence, women apt to cheat or be bad moms if not focused) but overall feels radical for its time, esp. when reading excerpts of others' views on women. Repetitive but strong!

After more repitition, ch 10 ends with impassioned appeal to women realizing their potential. 11 & 12 enters education, including radical change (day school, unisex, kids setting own discipline etc). Far ahead of its time. Arbitrary power demonstrated as bad for all; derisively connected to Catholicism. Advocates for boys/men; society benefits when all are raised up. Essentialism re: motherhood. Very good though!

Massive chapter taking down other writers, incl. long excerpts of their work. Overlong, but interesting insights into the cultural norms of MW's time. Disturbing seeing ultra-sexism written as wisdom by the people around her. Her takedowns exacting, passionate, even funny sometimes. Also props up rare positive sentiments showing people starting to question women's second class status. Still enjoying!

Repetitive, making the same/similar points, but slight elaboration. Impression she wrote this in sequence as she went. Sometimes says 'I have a tangent but it occured to me now so I should get it out.' But enjoy her logic/arguments, using contemporary rhetoric to illustrate hypocrisy of discourses only applying to men, showing why sexism damages all society, why patriarchy should be challenged like monarchy. Tough.

MW lays out worldview: what elevates us from animals & one another--reason & morality. How our bad tendencies may be from a bad system which we should improve, like we strive for self-improvement. Uses ongoing moment of fighting for rights, extends the logic to women. Proceeds to women's current status, saying it leads to bad morals. Many arguments remain relevant, others aged. Orientalist, mild misogyny. Interested!

Good intro: explains how women's liberties had been reduced over last century; how increased industrialization led to women's roles in commerce being eroded in favour of faceless factory work, or filled by etiquette rules that emulated aristocrats. Wollstonecraft also responding to enlightenment's rights of man, applying them to women & unapologetically broadening earlier attempts to address women's inequality.

Lots of fun to revisit--remembered the broad strokes/big events but had forgotten a lot re: pacing, time spent on certain things, less humourous than I recalled. Odysseus' manipulation, references to other Greek stories, themes of manhood, hospitality, etc stood out much clearer. Definitely worth revisiting now that I have more familiarity with ancient Greek literature!

Odysseus doesn't live up to the positive image we've been getting so far: egotistical, tactless in his past after Troy. But seems much less a danger after Calypso? Only tells minor lie to preserve woman's honour. Not pious; wonder why Athena looks out for him. Things picking up! Cyclops story, soon will be Sirens/Scilla. Enjoying it even more than before because I know the myths better than in 2019. Eager for more!

Forgot how much space given to Telamachus! First 4 books centered on him. Themes of being good host/guest as Telemachus' etiquette contrasted with the suitors. Manhood/coming of age too. Unfortunately 'women as property' motif continues here, though I recall it being subverted in places. Thrilled that I recognize characters; Greek myth finally clicking into place! Made it to Odysseus; stoked to get into the story!

Incredible 80~ page intro contextualizing Odyssey. Its history/culture significance, how it was dated/considered by various later societies, who Homer was/might have been, symbolic/thematic significance, great refresher on what's coming. Excited to realize many characters from Iliad are present; I'm gonna get lots more out of the re-read since I'll know the side characters/their history this time.

Ending missed mark for me--Dr's wife arrival shifts tone of the book into borderline parody territory. Other sections lightly lampooned tropes while maintaining overall dark tone, but it shifts into more humour. Makes tragic ending feel bit out of place/lopsided. Satirical elements still strong, good genuine creepy moments & characterization, especially Nell. Still bit unsatisfied by conclusion, but solid book.

Ch 5, big shift. Raises reliable narrator question; seems things occurred between chapters. Nell increasingly paranoid/violent thoughts, good scary set pieces. Nell/Theo seem to be playing out dynamic of sisters. Start loving house but hating each other, suspicious of each other, when someone mentioned house trying to separate the 4 people. Don't understand why nobody asks Dudleys anything! They seem to know a lot.

Super understated slow burn; Montague has no instructions/vague goal; just wants them to kill time in the house & take notes. Interest lies in character subtleties. All lie when introducing selves; later speculate odd rooms to 'hide from one another.' El questions own identity; social anxiety, paranoia. Theo her solid foundation. Lots of funny banter between them. First scare halfway through book, pretty creepy!

Motif of escapism. El/Theo want to get away from restrictive upbringing. Eleanor imagines living different lives as houses pass; references to fairytales. House is inversion of that, menacing yet 'enchanted.' Pushing against propriety; roots for girl she sees being scolded; good characterization. Subtle ominous atmosphere; place out of time, alienated, like Eleanor is. Enjoy the prose even though a bit belabored.

Ending is best part; gets back to Homer I fell in love with. Funeral games dragged on, but by that point was going with the flow. Ending feels so abrupt it almost feels incomplete, like missing a few pages. God drama interludes best parts throughout, broke up monotony of war. Feels overlong, slog in many parts, see why Odyssey more popular. Lessons of humility, futility of war & grudges, hand of fate & lot in life.

Achilles joins! More ferocious fighting before with better pacing; a clear climax. Still isn't reaching heights of Aeneid's Troy battle, but fun! Athena my favourite goddess--gods unleashed, no holds barred; Achilles nearly gets killed by a river diety. Humour too, especially gods exchanging insults like its Jersey Shore. Hector saved only by Gods interceding despite everyone knowing their fate/story already; odd!

Daunting middle section; highly repetitive, like 'X begat Y' sections of Bible. Even after Patroclus, book very slow to get Achilles into fight; 1st a long battle over body, then forging new armor plus multi-page description of the shield. Not nearly as engaging as Odyssey. Drama between gods most interesting so far, how all events/blame attributed to them, mortals writing stories about Gods to justify events.

Things seemingly coming to head? Dire straights for Greeks due to only Zeus; Greeks begging Achilles to join, Patroclus being pressured to do something. I know what's coming, I just don't know when. But things getting more linear, rather than feeling like stalemate with side stories, so that's improvement! Long tangents a bit tricky--Nestor went on for pages about 'back in my day.' Challenging but enjoy the setting.

Pattern of fighting broken up by what looks like paths out of the war which only circle back to more fighting. Not much has substantially changed since Achilles moped his way out of the fight in book 1--a commentary on how we continue to fail finding diplomatic solutions to conflict & resort to mass violence? God drama source of most momentum; Zeus preventing Gods from directly aiding fight. Fickleness of fate.

Won't enjoy as much as Odyssey because how battles are done, & it seems battles will cover majority of book. Highlights within this; Diomedes kicking ass, even fighting off Gods that attempt to stand up for Troy. Gods want blood & have power to make conflict linger on even when peace is sought due to grudges/loyalties to one or other side. Book seems a microcosm of entire 10 year war despite covering only weeks.

Thank god I gave myself a Trojan War refresher before starting! Thrown right in, no explanation of why war started (assumes you already know), 9 years into 10 year war. Achil/Agamem's fight over a woman slave mirrors Helen of Troy causing war. Big emotions, moping, pettiness among both humans & gods. Literary themes well crafted, but dated aspects (big list of armies, diatribes etc) intimidating! Excited for more :)

Mixed. Great ending, immersive, tense, anguishing, potent. Themes could be better developed. Amateur prose issues; too much telling, odd/clunky phrasing. Feels American pulp. But so many interesting concepts, no wonder its adaptations in film/games were so loose, like fanfics set in the world. Chapters almost feel like self-contained stories. At times so creepy but needed to linger more. Solid with major weaknesses.

Ch. 3: serious dip; cuts to side character. Lots of telling instead of showing--affects of Zone that would've been thrill to discover are told in expo-dumps instead. Though cosmic horror atmosphere still there, & parallels to travel restrictions within/outside USSR, Soviet isolation etc, story could be better told. Philosophy monologues bit too much though expected with old sci-fi. Hope it picks back up. Mixed feels.

Big shift--1st person, present-tense gone. 5 year time skip. Story turns into heist/underworld plot instead of the mysterious exploration plot of previous chapter. First showing example of stalking in Zone, now showing the broader consequences of that life. Hints at something even bigger. Suspenseful, bizarre. Odd choice that Redrick doesn't name his daugther despite loving her, & her talking/thinking normally.