On White Castles and Red Gardens

[ryanitenebrae]

The White Castle by Orhan Pamuk is very good - it's sparse and simple in style, but infinitely complex in structure.  It also contains the rarity of a misleading narrator who outright implies at the very beginning that he is, indeed, misleading.  Still, his doing so takes nothing from the book.  It's about an Italian man who is taken as a slave in

Comments

[bookelfe]

Oh yay! I'm very glad you liked 'The White Castle'.

[tathrin]

Well, one of my rommies and I just watched the first episode of Red Garden on YouTube based on your lovely review, and we quite liked it! (Okay, so she sort of frothed at the mouth at bit at the end, but that's what she does at cliffhangers, especially cliffies when we both know very well that we have a bajillion things to do for homework and cannot possibly go watching more distractions like the second episode and we already swore an oath to that effect before starting the first one...) Added it to my list of animes to track down. Er, when I have money again. But definately on the list, because it is an excellent animation style, and looks like a great start to a fun show. Also, your rec was compelling. So thank you! :D

[ryanitenebrae]

The animation is lovely, isn't it? And the art! It's the sort that doesn't look great (to me) still framed, but seems to be wonderfully suited to animation, and utterly beautiful in movement.

Also, I'm very fond of how it avoids so many potential cliches. The girls are more than just types, even minor characters have distinct personalities and goals, and everything is just detailed and intricate and interesting.

I'm really glad you like it - it struck me as definitely being up your alley.

It's two box sets, $45 each, but is available used for about $25 each, it seems.

You know, if you are ever in need of more anime recommendations, I am a fount of bubbliness. (Did you ever attempt to start the Anime Conversion we discussed, by the way?)

[tathrin]

I do love the animation! It's quite odd, but I love how fluid it is. I haven't seen a still frame yet, but I certainly do like it in motion...which considering it's animated is good enough I guess! Hah.

We have indeed attempted the anime conversion; it's gone...oddly. Honestly, I think she likes it, but can't manage to fully admit it to herself yet. ;)

She saw the R.O.D. OVA, and she'd seen Witchunter Robin and Cowboy Bebop earlier. We've just started rewatching Planetees (I got it just before our semester in France, so she wasn't there for the first viewing) and she enjoys it when it's on, but we haven't set her down to watch the whole thing specifically. She does like it enough to ask what she's missed, though, so I consider that a good sign!

She even watched Azu Manga Daioh on her own while we were gone--not the whole thing yet I don't think, but at least half of it--and really liked it. Couldn't help but like it, I should say. She was quite resistant, but morbid curiosity over the "crackingest crack that ever did crack" the

[ethelflaed]

That same night, they are given a new lease on life, on one condition: they must fight each night, battling beasts who look like men but behave in a manner similar to wild dogs, with only their bare hands and anything they choose to bring with them.

I am guessing it would not work, but I hope that at least one night one of them brings a gun.

RMBHG is the only character in Red Garden whose name I know aside from three of the girls, oddly. Rachel, Claire, Lise, and him. I don't know why his name stuck.

[ryanitenebrae]

A gun is shown being used on the monster once, to ill effect, but I think the wielder just missed, as it can be killed by beating it with 2x4s.

I think it's because, really, where else do you hear the name Herve? (Also, now that I've gotten to know the guy, I really like him. Oh, and the other girls are named Rose and Kate.)