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I suspect our differing opinions on what is and isn't a pattern might make this discussion fail. Rebekah Send a noteboard - 17/06/2010 06:19:11 PM
And they are all different. You cannot pretend to not notice how the patterns are destabilised by being shown as CONSTRUCTED by Gonzo? "Big soldiery type is friends with little weeny fella". I quote from the book:

He makes a friend. A boy (of course) his own agae. Smaller. As alone as he is. ... Cautious, as Marcus urged Gonzo to be from time to time, in curious contradiction of his own bold (careless?) fate. Someone to watch Gonzo's back. We settle down to play and it emerges that I am not quite as good at this as he is but good enough to keep him on his toes. In fact, this is almost definitive of me: in all those areas where Gonzo wishes to excel, I am just close enough behind to push him harder. In those he chooses to ignore, I am often quite talented. I am his foil. (450)


See, that's what kids with imaginary friends do. It's nothing new. We always want to be a little better than the people around us, and what better way to do that than by creating someone to drive us? I don't feel that destabilises the trope at all. Rather, he's just combined two of 'em. It's not that clever, in my opinion. Again, the change in the "friend" trope is that Babycakes isn't real.
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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June Book Club: The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:09:34 PM 1365 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 910 Views
Re: For the most part, and closer to the end I really liked it. Camilla - 07/06/2010 07:07:49 PM 875 Views
No surprises here, I suppose. Camilla - 07/06/2010 07:05:47 PM 933 Views
I enjoyed his flow. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 04:55:49 AM 719 Views
Re: I enjoyed his flow. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:30:07 PM 870 Views
I haven't bothered re-reading it yet Larry - 07/06/2010 09:12:58 PM 901 Views
Neither. Good, but not that deep, and with some annoying things. Legolas - 07/06/2010 10:29:18 PM 829 Views
Mostly regarding being tricked Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:47:56 AM 1030 Views
*lol* Don't give up on your thesis just yet. Legolas - 08/06/2010 09:20:16 AM 941 Views
Re: *lol* Don't give up on your thesis just yet. Camilla - 08/06/2010 12:54:53 PM 864 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 828 Views
Re: Mostly regarding being tricked Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:43:22 PM 933 Views
Love? More like enjoyed it a lot. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 04:45:24 AM 938 Views
I'm mostly ambivalent. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:52:31 PM 985 Views
Re: I'm mostly ambivalent. Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:07:55 PM 853 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 963 Views
Is it successful as a satire? Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:11:11 PM 754 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 880 Views
I'd say so, yes. Legolas - 07/06/2010 11:05:35 PM 774 Views
Partially. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 01:58:19 PM 900 Views
Re: Actually, the IMF loan thing worked better for me. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 11:50:36 AM 986 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 849 Views
Characters: Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:12:29 PM 951 Views
Ninjas! Beqi - 07/06/2010 07:11:02 PM 802 Views
After the introduction in chapter one... ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:31:48 PM 934 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 1079 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 849 Views
Re: Characters: everynametaken - 09/06/2010 03:03:40 AM 1130 Views
Re: Characters: Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:56:01 PM 788 Views
Re: I really disliked how many GROUPS there were. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 11:59:33 AM 847 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 917 Views
Not such a surprise Beqi - 07/06/2010 07:01:24 PM 888 Views
Re: Not such a surprise everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:13:02 AM 877 Views
The parents thing confused me too. Legolas - 08/06/2010 08:16:29 AM 935 Views
My first reaction was to be a little pissed off ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:23:09 PM 790 Views
Apparently I was the only person who did not see it coming *spoilers* Camilla - 07/06/2010 08:51:01 PM 939 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 1008 Views
Yeah, annoyed me too. Rebekah - 08/06/2010 02:02:43 PM 967 Views
Well... everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:10:56 AM 878 Views
Re: Well... Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:58:26 AM 949 Views
Re: I guessed it in the second chapter. Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:00:49 PM 871 Views
I clearly need to reread Thief of Time. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:07:28 PM 717 Views
Re: Spoiler for Thief of Time : Danae al'Thor - 14/06/2010 08:27:33 AM 883 Views
Hm. I vaguely remember that stuff. Rebekah - 14/06/2010 05:52:16 PM 767 Views
Re: Hm. I vaguely remember that stuff. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:47:05 PM 850 Views
Ideas Rebekah - 07/06/2010 06:15:25 PM 914 Views
Re: Ideas ironclad - 07/06/2010 07:29:51 PM 756 Views
Re: Ideas Camilla - 08/06/2010 12:41:31 PM 787 Views
Re: Ideas Rebekah - 08/06/2010 02:09:08 PM 839 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 804 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 853 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 680 Views
I think you have misunderstood. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:31:42 PM 865 Views
The New People Rebekah - 07/06/2010 07:32:46 PM 915 Views
I know how I would have reacted in real life Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:20:04 PM 837 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 811 Views
I kind of wish I would. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:33:25 PM 774 Views
The first chapter Camilla - 07/06/2010 09:01:13 PM 967 Views
Liked it. ironclad - 07/06/2010 09:21:50 PM 973 Views
I was warned beforehand about the endless flashback. Legolas - 07/06/2010 11:16:03 PM 956 Views
Re: I was warned beforehand about the endless flashback. Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:37:30 AM 706 Views
My Take. everynametaken - 08/06/2010 05:27:32 AM 885 Views
Re: My take. Camilla - 08/06/2010 08:51:13 AM 774 Views
That's a good point. I think you might be right. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:11:27 PM 643 Views
Favourite scenes Camilla - 08/06/2010 01:31:57 PM 861 Views
re: mimes and the Voiceless Dragon (and other scenes) everynametaken - 09/06/2010 02:39:48 AM 830 Views
Re: re: mimes and the Voiceless Dragon (and other scenes) Camilla - 09/06/2010 09:27:06 AM 856 Views
What I liked. Rebekah - 13/06/2010 06:14:40 PM 795 Views
There were a few of those, yeah. Legolas - 13/06/2010 10:46:27 PM 860 Views
Re: There were a few of those, yeah. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:35:50 PM 748 Views
Re: Ninjas vs. Pirates: Your inner geek votes for? Danae al'Thor - 09/06/2010 12:05:22 PM 906 Views
Pirates. Everytime. Rebekah - 12/06/2010 01:29:01 PM 825 Views
Re: Pirates. Everytime. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:40:45 PM 794 Views
I don't consider the pirates thing to be a "pattern" Rebekah - 15/06/2010 02:52:46 PM 793 Views
Oh, but that is just the thing: it is. Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:16:26 PM 765 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 837 Views
My inner geek normally goes with ninjas, but not in this book. Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:38:26 PM 785 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 748 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 782 Views
I had the same confusion Camilla - 15/06/2010 02:45:40 PM 956 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 1033 Views
The other people in the airfield pond Camilla - 15/06/2010 03:04:01 PM 1063 Views
Re: The gasmasked person Mark - 17/06/2010 03:47:55 PM 876 Views
See, that was my first thought as well Camilla - 17/06/2010 04:11:45 PM 923 Views
They were scary. Rebekah - 17/06/2010 06:25:59 PM 823 Views
Re: They were scary. Camilla - 17/06/2010 09:12:54 PM 877 Views
Ah, well found. Rebekah - 17/06/2010 09:17:24 PM 757 Views
The use of tense Mark - 17/06/2010 03:55:01 PM 845 Views
This is a tendency I have noticed in a lot of contemporary literature Camilla - 17/06/2010 08:54:55 PM 1160 Views
I've noticed it once or twice Mark - 18/06/2010 10:13:18 AM 912 Views
Re: I've noticed it once or twice Camilla - 18/06/2010 10:16:58 AM 1199 Views
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