Challenge 43: Book Club

[everythingshiny]

CHALLENGE 43: Book Club

Description This Months Book is The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Comments

[everythingshiny]

Questions/Comments

[colls]

Assuming this is a trend, what is next month's book?

[everythingshiny]

oh yeah. umm i haven't picked one!! i will have a poll up tomorrow. suggestions welcome :)

[mizz_destiny]

Good Omens!

[colls]

- Did you enjoy the book
I did! I wasn't sure I'd enjoy Swedish sarcasm (/that was sarcasm). The entire premise amused me a great deal, it was ridiculously over the top and glorious in how irreverent it treated historical events.
- Which plot points did you like?
From his past, I think it's a toss up between his incarceration in Siberia following his magical meeting with Stalin or his time in China with the communist rebels (or the others - I forget which side he was on half the time). From the modern storyline, I liked Benny and the elephant. Mostly the elephant. I mean --- THERE'S AN ELEPHANT. The whole plan to buy a bus so they could go on the run with her was hilarious.
- Favourite characters?
I liked Allan. He's got a lot of stories to tell and I wouldn't mind hanging out and listening to what else he's gotten into - I can suspend disbelief! Also, Einstein's half-brother and his wife. The inspector was interesting, too and I like how he joined the band at the end.
- Have you seen the movie?I didn't even realize there was

[cardboardcornea]

What I think I really like about this novel is that Allan isn't the only one with this insane, completely implausible life. You see it, to a lesser extent to be sure, in the other characters like Benny and his inheritance situation as well as Beauty and Sonya.

[cardboardcornea]

I just finished the part in Russia. The fact that he just decided that he was done with jail and was ready to move on was hilarious. The meeting with Stalin was also really funny.

[cardboardcornea]

Benny is great. He's probably actually my favorite character.

[cardboardcornea]

My favorite one so far has been his almost doctor-ness where he had the ethics but not the license.

[cardboardcornea]

I'm just over half way through the book right now but I'm going to go ahead and post this while I'm thinking about it because otherwise I will completely forget.

I had never heard of this book before and, to be honest, it's not something I would usually pick up and read without prompting but I'm really enjoying it so far. I have to say the part taking place in the present is what I'm enjoying more. The flashback parts are a little too Forest Gump-esque for me - though I absolutely loves Allan's indifferent attitude toward everything. So far, my favorite of those past bits had been his time in America which started out with the intent to just "look around" which that was just a great line.

As for the modern day parts, something about that - I'm thinking it's the Never Again group - keeps reminding me of Stump by Niall Griffiths.

So, I'm definitely going to finish it to see how their adventure ends but may not happen before Sunday.

{spades}

[cardboardcornea]

It seems like often times that past part goes on for much longer than the present parts to the point where you kind of forgot where you were in the present by the time it got back to that story.

[catko]

So I'm only partway through, so this is just "so far":

I'm enjoying the tone and the drollness. It definitely has what is to me a "European" flavor that I can't quite put into words. I'm intrigued by the premise. However, I don't find myself obsessed with finishing it, like I want to race to the end because I'm gripped by it, or desperate to find out what happens--which is usually how I judge a good book! I had no idea there was a movie, maybe I'll look into that. I bet the visuals are wonderful.

Which is all my way of saying that I'm not sure I'll finish reading the book unless I have it in hand during a down time.

[cardboardcornea]

It definitely has what is to me a "European" flavor that I can't quite put into words

I totally get what you mean and agree.

I've also not finished with it yet but am pushing myself to get through it. I think for me, I really want to know how the modern day adventure ends but am being slowed down by all the flashback parts in between which are funny but just not as intriguing for me personally.