Malcolm

Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: One of the most poised yet hilarious books I have ever read. A shame the man has never received the literary recognition he deserves.

Rating:
Summary: funny but not for most of you
Review: Purdy's novel "Malcolm" is a humorous journey about a young boy found by an astrologer on a park bench. The story is writtem mainly through Malcolm's interaction with the characters he meets through the astrologer (Mr. Cox). But enough plot summery, from the opening paragraphs one sees Purdy's gift for a sort of heightened clarity that he writes with, which, when pulled together with the dialog between the rather inept and hilarious characters offers a unique experience.
The novel is written in a more naturalist tone (think a modern Dickens) but don't let that fool you, Purdy is a gifted writer, with an amazing imagination, and excelent sense of irony. the reason i say it is not for all of you is that if you are looking for "ground-breaking" or "experimental" liturature, or if you find you get bored when not being assulted by an author you shouldn't buy it. But for those with an open mind i believe you shall enjoy it as well as nearly all of Purdy's work.

Rating:
Summary: funny but not for most of you
Review: Purdy's novel "Malcolm" is a humorous journey about a young boy found by an astrologer on a park bench. The story is writtem mainly through Malcolm's interaction with the characters he meets through the astrologer (Mr. Cox). But enough plot summery, from the opening paragraphs one sees Purdy's gift for a sort of heightened clarity that he writes with, which, when pulled together with the dialog between the rather inept and hilarious characters offers a unique experience.
The novel is written in a more naturalist tone (think a modern Dickens) but don't let that fool you, Purdy is a gifted writer, with an amazing imagination, and excelent sense of irony. the reason i say it is not for all of you is that if you are looking for "ground-breaking" or "experimental" liturature, or if you find you get bored when not being assulted by an author you shouldn't buy it. But for those with an open mind i believe you shall enjoy it as well as nearly all of Purdy's work.

Rating:
Summary: Boring and odd
Review: This book has been hailed as a comic masterpiece of irony, etc. I wish that I had enjoyed it as such, but I found it obscure, utterly lacking in writing style, and full of inexplicably abrupt plot changes.

The plot revolves around a pretty boy, apparently orphaned, who is discovered on a park bench and introduced to a series of bizarre people. They all want to own him in some way, which simply doesn't make sense as there is nothing interesting about him whatsoever. He just blunders on, into greater and more improbable situations, none of which I found funny in the slightest. It is like reading a novel by Eugene Ionescu, without the humor and surrealism.

In other words, I just didn't get it and don't think it is worth the effort. I would never have gotten through it except for the fact that I grabbed it for a long flight and had nothing else to read.

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Boring and odd
Review: This book has been hailed as a comic masterpiece of irony, etc. I wish that I had enjoyed it as such, but I found it obscure, utterly lacking in writing style, and full of inexplicably abrupt plot changes.

The plot revolves around a pretty boy, apparently orphaned, who is discovered on a park bench and introduced to a series of bizarre people. They all want to own him in some way, which simply doesn't make sense as there is nothing interesting about him whatsoever. He just blunders on, into greater and more improbable situations, none of which I found funny in the slightest. It is like reading a novel by Eugene Ionescu, without the humor and surrealism.

In other words, I just didn't get it and don't think it is worth the effort. I would never have gotten through it except for the fact that I grabbed it for a long flight and had nothing else to read.

Not recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely disappointed by it
Review: When I rated this book, I was tempted to give it two stars. All the hype about the book makes one curious enough to read on through to the end! However, after reflection, I regretted that I had to give it any star at all. Lamentably, that option is unavailable!
I thought this book was dreadful. I did not find it funny. It was more like nonesense. Inexplicable situation after inexplicable situation follows the boy on the bench,(Malcolm), throughout the book. The author never bothers to give a reasonable explanation about anything. I kept thinking that I would eventually discover some type of deep symbolism through further reading of the text, but to tell you the truth, I never found any. Like most intellectual snobs, I get disgusted when I waste my time reading inane works which end stupidly, and this is it. Don't succumb to that hoopla about "a timeless classic". "Malcolm" is no Holden Caulfield. It's silliness is more like something from Woody Allen. I wouldn't recommend it at all.