Review: Didn't Love It, but Interesting
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2012
The reviews I read were intriguing, calling it "strange" and "dark," and now that I've read the book, I find myself somewhat in the same boat.  This book left me wondering what I could say about it and whether or not I liked it.The book starts out strong - the writing is very evocative and I was pulled right into the story.  Unfortunately, the momentum dwindles over the course of the book.  I found myself just flipping through pages on the Kindle; I really didn't want to abandon the book, but the "quest" part was just leaving me cold.  Later in the book, though, I did enjoy Dan's explorations in a different environment.  (Trying to avoid spoilers!)I am undecided about whether enough information was provided or not.  There were things I never did quite understand fully, and it leaves me wondering whether this was the author's intent or whether there were things I missed.  I don't understand the major driving force behind Dan's "supernatural" death or why it has so much power.  I don't understand the mechanics that resulted in a major "flip" or "reversal" at the beginning.  Usually I can decide pretty easily how much it matters whether I "get it" or not - there are books where I don't understand and it just doesn't matter.  There are books where I don't get it and it makes the whole experience confusing.  This one...well, I'm not sure.  I felt like I was missing information, but I didn't feel like I really wanted more information.  I know that sounds silly, but there it is.The book alternates between Dan's present and past, giving a sense of what led up to his current state.  This can be jarring occasionally, but overall, one realizes quickly "where" the story is and adjusts.  At some point during the book, I realized that I didn't care about Dan.  Not that I hated him or even disliked him, but he seemed like a bumbling nonentity in his life.  Even the compelling interest in him depicted in the story seems to be something of a randomness, an accident of birth if you will.I actually did like the ending.  I was expecting a rather convenient ending for Dan and got quite another.  I was horrified (in a good way, a "twist in the tail" way) by the denouement with Marco.All in all, I have to give this 4 stars.  Most of the book was more than "okay" for me, and I think it warrants more than 3 stars.