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I think you have misunderstood. Camilla Send a noteboard - 15/06/2010 02:31:42 PM
I've said it over and over - I think Harkaway lets the ideas get in the way of his story. There's not much substance to his people - and I am a person who reads for character as well as plot. But this novel sort of leads with the ideas, with people and plot subject to ideas' wordy whims.

I am not as rigid with genre rules as you are, but I disapprove of philosophy masquerading as fiction.

I am rigid with genre rules?

to be a part of. It's not so much that you want something to fit, it's that... you tend to categorise things into what we assume are its creator-intended genres and then decide that the books cannot fit into that genre or there are too many genres - I am currently going by your reaction to True Lies and Heyer's Infamous Army.


I think you have misundestood my reasons for disliking both.

And, to a very large extent, by your reply here re: satire and what the novel does.


My reason for defining satire in that post was that the word is used for a whole host of different things. I was just trying to be clear. You really should not read it as a statement on the importance of genre.

It's not a criticism - it's just a different way of reading. It makes for god arguments when we watch True Lies, though.

Ahem. Please still love me?


I will, if I get your letter soon
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
This message last edited by Camilla on 15/06/2010 at 07:11:02 PM
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June Book Club: The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:09:34 PM 1363 Views
What did you think? Love, hate, etc? *NM* Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:10:02 PM 461 Views
For the most part, and closer to the end I really liked it. Beqi - 07/06/2010 07:05:38 PM 909 Views
Re: For the most part, and closer to the end I really liked it. Camilla - 07/06/2010 07:07:49 PM 873 Views
No surprises here, I suppose. Camilla - 07/06/2010 07:05:47 PM 931 Views
I enjoyed his flow. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 04:55:49 AM 717 Views
Re: I enjoyed his flow. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:30:07 PM 869 Views
I haven't bothered re-reading it yet Larry - 07/06/2010 09:12:58 PM 900 Views
Neither. Good, but not that deep, and with some annoying things. Legolas - 07/06/2010 10:29:18 PM 828 Views
Mostly regarding being tricked Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:47:56 AM 1028 Views
*lol* Don't give up on your thesis just yet. Legolas - 08/06/2010 09:20:16 AM 939 Views
Re: *lol* Don't give up on your thesis just yet. Camilla - 08/06/2010 12:54:53 PM 862 Views
Why am I not surprised. *NM* Legolas - 08/06/2010 01:07:47 PM 448 Views
Re: Mostly regarding being tricked Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:42:31 PM 827 Views
Re: Mostly regarding being tricked Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:43:22 PM 931 Views
Love? More like enjoyed it a lot. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 04:45:24 AM 936 Views
I'm mostly ambivalent. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:52:31 PM 983 Views
Re: I'm mostly ambivalent. Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:07:55 PM 851 Views
Re: I am linking to my review, because I am self-centred like that. But I am not a fan. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 11:47:16 AM 961 Views
Is it successful as a satire? Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:11:11 PM 753 Views
Yes, as long as we are clear on one thing: that is not all it does. Camilla - 07/06/2010 08:29:59 PM 879 Views
I'd say so, yes. Legolas - 07/06/2010 11:05:35 PM 772 Views
Partially. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:58:19 PM 898 Views
Re: Actually, the IMF loan thing worked better for me. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 11:50:36 AM 985 Views
But right up to the point where they're given one they don't want, and the interest thing, etc? Rebekah - 12/06/2010 01:21:11 PM 847 Views
Characters: Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:12:29 PM 949 Views
Ninjas! Beqi - 07/06/2010 07:11:02 PM 800 Views
After the introduction in chapter one... ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:31:48 PM 932 Views
One of my favourite things about this book. *spoilers* (do we need to mark spoilers here?) Camilla - 07/06/2010 07:58:36 PM 1077 Views
No. You don't need to mark spoilers. *NM* Rebekah - 07/06/2010 08:55:03 PM 464 Views
I disliked everyone except Master Wu. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:59:27 PM 847 Views
Re: Characters: everynametaken - 09/06/2010 03:03:40 AM 1128 Views
Re: Characters: Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:56:01 PM 786 Views
Re: I really disliked how many GROUPS there were. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 11:59:33 AM 845 Views
Quite. They were all pretty much ciphers. *NM* Rebekah - 12/06/2010 01:26:13 PM 365 Views
The BIG twist: Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:13:38 PM 914 Views
Not such a surprise Beqi - 07/06/2010 07:01:24 PM 886 Views
Re: Not such a surprise everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:13:02 AM 875 Views
The parents thing confused me too. Legolas - 08/06/2010 08:16:29 AM 933 Views
My first reaction was to be a little pissed off ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:23:09 PM 788 Views
Apparently I was the only person who did not see it coming *spoilers* Camilla - 07/06/2010 08:51:01 PM 938 Views
Don't worry, Tim didn't either. *NM* Rebekah - 07/06/2010 08:52:43 PM 446 Views
It annoyed me in Fight Club, and it annoyed me here. Legolas - 07/06/2010 10:06:17 PM 1007 Views
Yeah, annoyed me too. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 02:02:43 PM 965 Views
Well... everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:10:56 AM 876 Views
Re: Well... Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:58:26 AM 947 Views
Re: I guessed it in the second chapter. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:00:49 PM 870 Views
I clearly need to reread Thief of Time. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:07:28 PM 715 Views
Re: Spoiler for Thief of Time : Danae al'Thor - 14/06/2010 08:27:33 AM 881 Views
Hm. I vaguely remember that stuff. Rebekah - 14/06/2010 05:52:16 PM 765 Views
Re: Hm. I vaguely remember that stuff. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:47:05 PM 848 Views
Ideas Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:15:25 PM 912 Views
Re: Ideas ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:29:51 PM 754 Views
Re: Ideas Camilla - 08/06/2010 12:41:31 PM 785 Views
Re: Ideas Rebekah - 08/06/2010 02:09:08 PM 837 Views
Re: I agree with you, and I think it is one of the drawbacks of the novel. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:07:51 PM 802 Views
Re: I agree with you, and I think it is one of the drawbacks of the novel. Camilla - 09/06/2010 06:26:20 PM 851 Views
Re: I think you tend to read something and then decide that it is not fit for the genre it is trying Danae al'Thor - 10/06/2010 09:23:29 AM 678 Views
I think you have misunderstood. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:31:42 PM 864 Views
The New People Rebekah - 07/06/2010 07:32:46 PM 913 Views
I know how I would have reacted in real life Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:20:04 PM 835 Views
Agreed. *NM* Rebekah - 08/06/2010 02:09:39 PM 360 Views
Re: I would have been one of those awkward hypocrites who tried to be cool with it. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:11:51 PM 809 Views
I kind of wish I would. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:33:25 PM 772 Views
The first chapter Camilla - 07/06/2010 09:01:13 PM 965 Views
Liked it. ironclad - 07/06/2010 09:21:50 PM 971 Views
I was warned beforehand about the endless flashback. Legolas - 07/06/2010 11:16:03 PM 955 Views
Re: I was warned beforehand about the endless flashback. Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:37:30 AM 704 Views
My Take. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:27:32 AM 883 Views
Re: My take. Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:51:13 AM 772 Views
That's a good point. I think you might be right. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:11:27 PM 641 Views
Favourite scenes Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:31:57 PM 859 Views
re: mimes and the Voiceless Dragon (and other scenes) everynametaken - 09/06/2010 02:39:48 AM 828 Views
Re: re: mimes and the Voiceless Dragon (and other scenes) Camilla - 09/06/2010 09:27:06 AM 854 Views
What I liked. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:14:40 PM 793 Views
There were a few of those, yeah. Legolas - 13/06/2010 10:46:27 PM 858 Views
Re: There were a few of those, yeah. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:35:50 PM 746 Views
Re: Ninjas vs. Pirates: Your inner geek votes for? Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:05:22 PM 904 Views
Pirates. Everytime. Rebekah - 12/06/2010 01:29:01 PM 823 Views
Re: Pirates. Everytime. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:40:45 PM 792 Views
I don't consider the pirates thing to be a "pattern" Rebekah - 15/06/2010 02:52:46 PM 791 Views
Oh, but that is just the thing: it is. Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:16:26 PM 764 Views
I suspect our differing opinions on what is and isn't a pattern might make this discussion fail. Rebekah - 17/06/2010 06:19:11 PM 835 Views
My inner geek normally goes with ninjas, but not in this book. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:38:26 PM 784 Views
A question I had while reading the book - was this meant to be set in Britain, the US, or some mix? Legolas - 13/06/2010 10:53:03 PM 747 Views
Yeah it drove me nuts that I had no clue where it's set *NM* ironclad - 14/06/2010 03:34:13 PM 340 Views
It mostly feels like Britain, but with US overtones. Rebekah - 14/06/2010 05:51:35 PM 781 Views
I had the same confusion Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:45:40 PM 955 Views
You've not got it quite right. We are able to distinguish between a truck and a lorry. Tim - 20/06/2010 11:09:51 PM 1031 Views
The other people in the airfield pond Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:04:01 PM 1062 Views
Re: The gasmasked person Mark - 17/06/2010 03:47:55 PM 874 Views
See, that was my first thought as well Camilla - 17/06/2010 04:11:45 PM 921 Views
They were scary. Rebekah - 17/06/2010 06:25:59 PM 821 Views
Re: They were scary. Camilla - 17/06/2010 09:12:54 PM 875 Views
Ah, well found. Rebekah - 17/06/2010 09:17:24 PM 755 Views
The use of tense Mark - 17/06/2010 03:55:01 PM 843 Views
This is a tendency I have noticed in a lot of contemporary literature Camilla - 17/06/2010 08:54:55 PM 1159 Views
I've noticed it once or twice Mark - 18/06/2010 10:13:18 AM 910 Views
Re: I've noticed it once or twice Camilla - 18/06/2010 10:16:58 AM 1197 Views
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