Pelikan Book

Often times one can pick up the vibes, tones and direction of a book. I don't mean it's predictable, but I thought I had a sense of what I was in for. Fortunately I was wrong.

I've never been to New Orleans, but Martin certainly illustrated it though the eyes of the countless characters. With the various personas--which I'm astonished at the many he introduced and could involved actively throughout--I found it to be a bubble-like, fairytale setting, where anything can happen. Well, I guess in this plot, anything did. Considering the choice of person (being 1st person) I was thoroughly impressed with his ability to switch POVs, deliver an equal amount of internal dialogue during the changes of character focus, and still keep clear in mind that Charlie is the protagonist. The POV allowed Martin to switch between characters smoothly, yet also maintain the vagueness and distance between the character and reader. I found this to have added character to pessimistic Charlie.

I do agree with some of the reviews that the plot development was slow. Towards the end I realised there wasn't much to the narrative arc itself. However, I would rather categorise (if I may) this book to be one that revolves around characters. If you can appreciate diversity in character (not as a literary term, but as in personas, characters, personalities), you'll love the quirkiness and uniqueness delivered in them. I definitely did.

Furthermore, his proses incredible. The way he can mention something so absurd but let it slide as mediocre and vauge (but hinted enough) allows a reader to guess closely. Then later rewarding our imagintion with written affirmation one way or another.

Overall, it's a sweet treat. Incredibly engaging with gruesome details, but some also pausible for laughter. It was also simultaneously in depth with internal logic and characterisation. It's astonishing how I found myself emotionally connected to so many characters towards the end.