Submitted by Bethanne on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 8:20am
You didn't think we'd just keep things same-same all the time here on The Book Studio, did you? Nah. We want to find new ways to talk about books and to help you figure out what to read.
Our latest feature is what women's magazines might call "service-y," in that vein -- Why bother reading something that isn't as great as it can possibly be? I for one believe that there are simply too many books out there to bother with one that isn't worth it for you (I won't say perfect; that happens, but there are so many variables...).
So often there are Big Books getting lots of buzz -- and they don't deliver. But that doesn't mean that a) those Big Books don't have some good stuff in them or b) readers aren't hungry for what the buzz promised in the first place.
I didn't like "Her Fearful Symmetry" by Audrey Niffenegger. While I won't offer a full review here (if you'd like to read any, here is one I agree with in part and here is one from a critic who loved the book and here is one that made me wonder if reviewer and I read the same book)will say that the part of the book I loved the most were its scenes of London's historic Highgate Cemetery. The Cemetery is a backdrop, a location, an atmosphere...Niffenegger (who, like her character Robert, has been a guide there) gets the allure of Highgate exactly right.
You might wind up loving "Her Fearful Symmetry," and if you do, please go and sit by Ron Charles of the Washington Post Book World (see second link above). Niffenegger received an extraordinary advance for "Her Fearful Symmetry" -- $5 million dollars -- and she must have felt a great deal of pressure to write a book as amazing as her first, "The Time Traveler's Wife." So I won't spend a great deal of time here criticizing her quite accomplished book. I'd rather spend my time telling you to skip it, wait for Audrey Niffenegger's third novel -- and Read This: "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman.
In what is supposedly a children's book by the acclaimed British novelist, an unnamed cemetery shares its atmosphere and narrative functions with Niffenegger's Highgate -- but the book itself holds together far better. Perhaps that's because Gaiman' story and scope is deliberately smaller. Don't believe me? Here's a wonderful tribute from a UK critic: "This brief, dark, savoury adventure deserves to become a modern classic of children's writing: it has more mystery, excitement and wisdom in a single chapter than all the soap-operatic dilemmas, empty acrobatics and moral dogmatism in those thousands of pages of Potter franchise."
What do you think? Did I make my case? Would you like to see more review/explication? Have you read either or both books? I'd love to hear from you on this new feature for our site. As always, many thanks for visiting, and happy reading!
Authors mentioned in this post:
Books mentioned in this post:
I've eschewed novels in favor
I've eschewed novels in favor of non-fiction, but I'm sure you'd all agree, there's nothing like a fabulous novel, so I was so pleased to be somewhat entranced by 'Her Fearful Symmetry.' But that ending! It made me sorry to have wasted so much time following these people through this heavy novel! It's back to non-fiction for me. I agree, the novelist had a deadline, ran out of ideas, lost interest, whatever. Shameful, to engage your readers down the garden path.....
Her Fearful Symmetry
I was so disgusted by the cop-out ending that i finally took to the computer. Surely I had missed something. I began to search for what really must have happened, that I'd obviously missed. No? What about when Robert was sitting at the library (p392): "What am I going to do?...the answer came to him, and he laughed out loud at the obviousness of it." WHAT DID HE DO??? I thought surely he would help Valentina switch back into her body. Elspeth, Valentina's real mother, would surely make the sacrafice and switch back once Valentina was strong enough. What did Elspeth & Robert think happened to Valentina's soul??? Where is the REAL ENDING TO THIS STORY! I don't think I've ever been so disappointed reading a book before.
Her Fearful Symmetry
I completely agree with the reviewer who said the parts are better than the whole. I think there are compelling elements to the book. I found Julia's attachment to Valentina and Martin's attachment to his wife most haunting. The whole books does lack atmosphere and could have used better editing though. She could have taken some tips from Angela Carter. Also you're dead on about that NY times review. I get the feeling he didn't read the book at all and just made up a review.
Her Fearful Symmetry
Wow, I am so glad to have found you page. I finished Her Fearful Symmetry last night and honestly thought I might never get to sleep because of the letdown I felt at the end. Its almost as if Ms. Niffenegger had to make a deadline and just "wrapped it up" after the funeral and resurrection of Valentina/Elspeth. What happened to everybody? It was like "time passed and they all lived happily ever after. The end." Are there any interviews with the author where these questions are addressed?
Niffenegger owes us all!
Laura, I'm glad you found The Book Studio, too! Thanks for your comment. It seems you have several comrades in confusion when it comes to HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY (including me!). I'm going to do a little footwork and see if I can find such an interview. If I do, I'll post it here.
Her Fearful Symmetry
I thought it was just me being disappointed in the ending. Many unresolved questions. Liked the rest of the book, but the ending was disappointing.
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
This book was great, intriguing until the end. What the heck happened? Will someone please tell me what happened?
Her Fearful Symmetry-unresolved ending
I listened to the Recorded Book-unabridged and loved the reader. However, I felt the ending was anticlimactic and unresolved. I was left with many unanswered questions about Robert much like Nita Swann. The baby at the end was unnamed and seemed out of place. I assume Robert was the father but since he seemed repulsed by Elspeth in the end, this may be just an assumption on my part. I half expected another set of twins which would have seemed the reason for the pregnancy. I had hoped for a confrontation between Elspeth and Valentina which never materialized (no pun intended). It also seemed unreal that Julia after all her agonizing over seperating from Valentina when she was alive, appeared to be fine when she truly left. Finally, I wouldn't have been surprised if Robert's elderly friends had had a heart attack after he re-introduced them to Elspeth.
Her Fearful Symmetry
I have been dying to discuss this with someone who has read the book. What happened to Robert in the end? Why did he leave his manuscript with Elspeth? I liked the book well enough....nothing to compare with The Time Traveler's Wife, though. The ending was so unresolved that I was really put out! How did you interpret it?
The Graveyard Book
Glad to have discovered The Book Studio!! The Graveyard Book is indeed wonderful. In case you are not aware of it, Neil reads beautifully and videotaped the whole book, one chapter per tour stop: http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx
The Graveyard Book
Another ditto on The Graveyard Book. I just finished it the other day, and I LOVED it. It made me feel like I was a kid again--Gaiman really captured that sense of wonder and possibility in a deliciously spooky atmosphere!
The Graveyard Book
Bethanne, I couldn't agree with you more about Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. The first chapter is so very, very creepy, and rest of the book so wonderful (and sometimes also creepy). The various characters (alive and dead) made me want to go live in some moss-covered cemetery somewhere (if not England, then perhaps here in the DC area or in New England), to see who I might meet. I have not yet read Her Fearful Symmetry, and probably won't rush out to get it, though I'll likely read it at some point, if for no reason other than to see if I agree with you!
As for this feature, I think it's great -- I enjoy the links you make between books, authors, and stories. Keep it coming!
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