Rating: 
Summary: Hey, it is weird, but I like it.
Review: ...The plot is inconsequential. It's really what Carroll does with images, dreamscapes, magical occurrences, and supernatural "special effects" that make the difference in this book. Like a Murakami book, or a Borges story, nothing really "happens" to the protagonist, who appears caught in a Kafkaesque metamorphin' type of trap involving a dog, a missing couple, an old friend, and the righting of the past and future (and so on and so on). The changes of scenery and swappable dreamscapes continue to appear late into the book, and wear on to the point where you aren't sure Carroll can resolve it satisfactorily. I won't tell you how he does, but it was good enough for me. So why four stars?At first I couldn't figure out what kept me from giving this the benefit of the doubt- why it can't quite capture a full rating from me. Trouble is, the characters aren't all that likeable. I know that is meant to be part of the charm, what with a Scrooge type of plot (this is a very loose interpretation). But Carroll never seemed to concentrate on getting me to feel that the beleagured hero was someone to empathize with. I never got the ring of indignation at seeing his failed attempts to figure out the plot.
Rating: 
Summary: The Clock on the Wall
Review: As I read this book, the only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock on my grey walls...until Mr. Carroll stopped the clock. He stopped the world, painted my walls red, and turned the room upside-down. I read the rest of the book with my hair tied back (because it was standing on end) and my dog panting on the ceiling. This is one of those ferris wheel rides you went on as a kid that stopped at the top - half of you loved it and wanted to stay up there, while your other half secretly feared you'd never come down. Carroll's the guy that sat next to you grinning. Carroll's the guy the nudged you to buy the next ticket...so, one ticket please...for THE LAND OF LAUGHS.
Rating: 
Summary: A tad disappointed...
Review: I've previously read a number of Carroll's books and enjoyed them all. Perhaps I've finally read too many. The story felt throw away. Carroll knows he's a good writer. You can feel it in the way he writes. You can see it in the smug mugshot of him on the back cover. The book feels more like a vehicle to express his smug opinions on everything from drinking espresso to disliking exercise. The main character loves himself, or perhaps I should say "selves." The story's formula: At regular intervals throw in random events of a divine/supernatural nature. Fill the time between these interesting bits with fairly dull, smug internal dialog of his personal likes, dislikes and thoughts on growing older. Wrap it up with divine intervention mixed with self-sacrifice but leave in a loophole to prevent the reader from walking away hurt. This divine intervention thing also gets him off the hook from explaining away incidents/things that would normally be considered big loose-ends. "Huh-ho! I don't have to explain the feather or the bone. It's 'supernatural!'" slight spoiler: I also have to wonder about the internal inconsistencies. Astopel sends younger versions of himself into his present as separate individuals that he bumps into and interacts with and yet when he's flung into the future, he ages. Why didn't he run into his older self? Instead he finds himself trapped in an old man's body. And yet, when he goes back in time, he doesn't enter his younger teenage body. Oh right, it was a divine act that can't be explained. I also felt the character of Floon was woefully underdeveloped. Why? Because the main character is completely self-absorbed with himself! The ending didn't give a sufficient feeling of wonder to overlook the sloppiness of the wrap up. He has definitely written better books.
Rating:
Summary: More magic from a modern master...
Review: Enough folks have commented on the plot of this great book. Let me just say that reading a Jonathan Carroll novel, any of his novels for that matter, is like a wonderful meal, a riveting film or great piece of music - you want it to keep going and never end. There are many fine contemporary novelists who are a pleasure to read, but few inject real magic into their prose like Carroll does. In many ways the elitist in me wants his readership to be small, the select few, but that's not fair to Carroll or the millions of readers who would make him their favorite novelist if they only knew.
Rating:
Summary: Another wild and wacky Carroll book -- great cover too
Review: Like The Marriage of Sticks, The Wooden Sea takes place in the fictional town of Crane's View (which sounds suspiciously like a Western Westchester town like Hastings on Hudson or Ossining). This tale is told through the eyes of the chief of police who during his morning routine suddenly finds strange things happening to him in the town: childhood smells pop up from nowhere, a 3 legged pit bull, a beautiful feather and a bone to name a few. As it turns out, our chief was a hell-raiser as a child, a detail that becomes important as we start to meet different version of his character at different ages. I like the almost Platonic philosophical bent of the latter half of the book - as usual in Carroll's books, we rove through time zones, other realities, and a plot that resists summary. I find this one of his "deeper" books - a kind of Unified Particle Theory view of the world. Now that I found the reissue of his first book, the Land of Laughs, I can say that I've finished all of Carroll's books. The Wooden Sea is definitely one of his better books, although fans should read them all. And buy yourself a hardcover copy because they go out of print fast! Carroll remains one of my all time favorite authors and if you haven't had a chance to try him, don't wait any longer.
Rating:
Summary: Genre Defying Literature
Review: The Wooden Sea is a magical book that truly defies genres. This was my first exposure to Carroll's writing and it definitely won't be the last. I think what Carroll does so well is blend everyday life with the absurd and perhaps bring out some of the magic we'd all like to see in our everyday lives. That's not to say that we'd actually like everything that happens in The Wooden Sea to come true...just the possibility that it could, perhaps. I've read quite a few reviews of Carroll's works and many have been reluctant to compare him to other authors or are simply unable to. Three authors that spring to mind, however, are Charles DeLint, Iain Banks, and Nicholas Christopher. Read and enjoy. This is a treasure.
Rating:
Summary: Don't stereotype Carroll
Review: If you have never picked up a Carroll book because the terms "fantasy" or "science fiction" scare you, or because you are convinced that "that kind of writing" isn't for you, I urge you to move past the stereotype and give THE WOODEN SEA a chance. Carroll is an amazing novelist, severly underappreciated in this country. Since his first novel, THE LAND OF LAUGHS, he has been introducing his readers to characters who have heart, soul, a sense of wonder, and a sense of humor. His latest work is no exception. Frannie McCabe, Police Chief of Crane's View, is content and happy... until such time as he buries a dead dog only to find that it continues to come back to life. While trying to understand why, McCabe meets past and future versions of himself, is forced to make decisions that will affect those people he cares the deepest about, and searches for answers to questions that we all ask at some point in our lives: "What is life really all about? Are we alone here, or is there some higher power influencing who we are? What is death? And does any of it matter in the end? Carroll leads his readers down a mystical and imaginative path that could only be better if it never had to end. He continues to be one of my favorite authors and his latest work does not disappoint. It is no wonder that authors like Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Stanislaw Lem continue to sing the praises of Jonathan Carroll.
Rating:
Summary: "yum" sums it up
Review: I have been a big Carroll fan for about a year now, and have finally acquired all his books save one. So when I found out I could get a proof copy of this book online, I immediatley ordered it, and I think it's wonderful. I read it in one day, couldn't resist, even though I wanted to make the enjoyment last longer. if you've never read Jonathan Carroll, this book is a good introduction. If you have, I don't think you'll be disappointed. And as a side note in response to another review here, I did not notice any excessive vulgarity, and I cannot imagine why christian integrity would be relevant when writing about characters that aren't all Christian - or should I just say that if diversity offends you, perhaps Jonathan Carroll isn't for you at all. Anyone else would probably enjoy his books very much.
Rating:
Summary: Unnecessary vulgarity
Review: I was intrigued by the online reviews about this much anticipated title and I was very excited to order this book for my husband. The book offers a thrilling plot if you like psychological thrillers. However, upon reading the first chapter I realized how much Carrol uses harsh obsenities that could be deleted altogether without jeapordizing the quality and likablity of the novel. I was very dissappointed about this unnecessary language and it goes against Christian integrity as well as any good moral standard. Carrol offers a very interesting and novel, however I feel that Carrol will lose many prospective customers because of this unnecessary language.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed Carroll Fan
Review: Let me preface my remarks by saying that I have been a huge Jonathan Carroll fan over the years (ever since I came across Bones of the Moon in a used bookstore. I considered that book a masterwork.) So...I am a bit bewildered by this latest offering. About a quarter of the way into this novel I thought "this may be his best ever." But ultimately the novel becomes too disjointed with some really intiguing plot threads sort of hung out to dry. Mr. Carroll has concluded some of his works ambiguously before, and that's fine, but I'm talking major plot elements here that are either explained away trivially or not explained at all. I don't want to mention specifics as I'm sure many will read the book for themselves.I still think Mr. Carroll is a major talent and will continue to buy his new work and await his next home run: but this isn't it.
|
