Review: Infinity Bell

Infinity Bell by Devon Monk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Pre-release Review:

I finished the first book of the House Immortal series last week, the week before Christmas 2014, and I wrote a rave review in which I stated that the only problem was that I couldn't get the second book immediately. Two days later, Devon Monk had made sure that I received an Advanced Reading Copy of Infinity Bell, the second book. The novel won't appear on shelves until March, but I was lucky enough to read it on the plane from Oregon to New Jersey just before Christmas. I was on a red-eye, and I stayed up through the long night reading.

The second book brings the story of Tilly, Abraham, Grandma, Two-head Ned, and all the other colorful characters to a full climax, which I won't reveal. I will say that it was a great ride. The world building, the social systems, the personal pathos, and the ways in which the characters come to care about and for one another made the miles fly by. When I reached the end of this well-crafted tale, I was thrilled to discover an unexpected, inevitable, and satisfying ending. I hope Devon Monk manages to create some new stories in this world. I know I will be pleased to step into the wondrous world of House Immortal again and again.



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Review: House Immortal

House Immortal by Devon Monk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



One of the joys of reading the first book in a series is that when you find a book you really enjoy, you can go out and buy the next one as soon as you finish the first one. I started house immortal because I remembered the original short story Devon Monk wrote. I wanted to see the characters, two-head Neds, Granny, and Tilly, again. I was pretty excited about spending time with a whole book full of those quirky, back-woodsy folk, and I was not in any way disappointed. I loved it! I ate it up in a whirlwind of ignoring responsibilities and staying up too late. It's just the kind of reading experience I crave. I finished the book, and I immediately jumped online to buy the second book. It wasn't available yet. The only thing I didn't like about House Immortal was finishing the first book and having to wait until March for the second. Oh well. I'll just have to wait.



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Review: Watership Down

Watership Down by Richard Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Rereading a book I loved when I was younger is always risky. My memory of the emotional experience I had long ago creates an anticipation that is often the foundation for disappointment.

Not this time. This time, my experience was even richer than the memories.

I suspect that years of life have allowed me to feel more deeply the underlying power of Adams' mythopoetic vision. While Adams claims that Watership Down has no deeper mythic or thematic meaning--that it is not allegorical or metaphoric--I experienced it both as allegory and extended metaphor displaying the importance of growth in culture and in the individual.

At one point, I found myself thinking how odd it was that Adams claimed it was just a transcribed tale he told to his children on a long drive. To me, it seemed a perfectly crafted representation of the mythic functions of Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces. A few pages later, Adams' narrator described a character with a reference to Campbell, actually naming Campbell in the text.

Ah, I thought. Hours and hours of hard work made to look effortless.

Perhaps the tale told extemporaneously during a long drive was transcribed, but I suspect much crafting and conscious consideration went into that transcription.

A wonderful ride. A wonderful tale. It has brought new life to world I live in and, most especially, to the bunnies I see on my morning walks.



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