The Republic of Dreams: A Reverie

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing
Review: "The Republic of Dreams" is like "Griffin and Sabine" in that it uses its illustrations and toys to bring you closer into the narrative. "The Republic of Dreams" has everything you could hope for in this type of novel. The sensuous narrative, surreal, subtly erotic illustration, and pull-out items such as the Poetic Licence and Republic Passport all make you feel as if you have taken a journey into this Republic. Unlike many Bantock and neo-Bantock works, "The Republic of Dreams" explores its ideas in depth. A wonderful mind-clearing diversion, especially useful for the poet and artist. Go, Crimmins, go.

Rating:
Summary: Mental candy
Review: I bought Crimmins's book five years ago and, as an awkward teenager uncertain as to whether or not to consider my dreamy idealism a virtue, I thought it life-changing and profound.

And now? I still am glad that I bought The Republic of Dreams -- the art and the storyline still hold power to carry me away every now and again. It's a fantastic, idealistic novel, but unlike most fantasy novels it is set in a contemporary western society, which in some ways makes it all the more accessible. The book is stuffed with photographs and toys such as a "Poetic License," a passport, postcards, telegrams, public notices, examples of banknotes, and the like, all of which are reminiscent of the printed matter and other props of our daily lives. For inhabitants of a postindustrial society, these little touches all make it seem like you've entered a cross between a fairy tale world and your humdrum everyday world. There are many photographs and pictures, which create impressions of the daily life of this strange and sensual Republic. The narrative invites the reader to live vicariously through the characters' artistic and indulgent exploits.

On the other hand, a lot of the content of The Republic of Dreams is rather unoriginal. Despite its unabashed celebration of life's pleasures, the storyline is predictable and doesn't particularly grab you with pithy insights the way the best fantasy fiction does. A good portion of the artwork is derivative; it is still beautiful, but Crimmins could have done a lot more with his artistic abilities. And he is a good artist, as his surreal illustrations demonstrate.

So have a look at The Republic of Dreams. It may not be terribly original or insightful, but it will indulge your artistic-dreamer self.

Rating:
Summary: Woderful Surreal Art-Novel
Review: I found this book on a remainder table and bought it on a lark. Boy am I glad I did! If you've ever been captivated by surrealist art you have to get this book. It will give you a whole new philosophy of life based on freedom, poetry and irrationality. Better than any of the Griffin/Sabine books. Buy it. Read it. Discover the treasures hidden within your irrational life.

Rating:
Summary: This was an experience that was wonderous
Review: I like the ideas and some of the imagery but I don't see much that's original. Obviously the book is written in Bantock's style, (which is okay with me, I think more books should be written in this style), but the surrealist paintings are also very generic, with no originality. I don't believe things like flying fish and people with bird heads are really a correct representation of dreams in general. Most people's (even artists) dreams are not that 'out there', mostly dealing with transference of characters or locations, suspension of the laws of nature, and perception 'bending'. I thought he handled the non-linear time well, it was confusing as it should be.

More plot would have been nice and less pictures of skinny naked women. I'm heterosexual and I don't have a problem with nudity, but I tend to find women under 150 lbs fairly grotesque with their clothes off, so I found myself turning pages fairly quickly. I couldn't help but get the feeling that the author used the book as an excuse to get every female friend he had, to take her clothes off 'for the cause of art'.

I think there's potential in Crimmins, he just needs to find a style more his own.

Rating:
Summary: Not Greenwich Village, This is an Island
Review: Not to be confused with the book about Greenwich Village, this marvelous book is about an island republic. Hard to describe in words -- I recommend you take the trip.

Rating:
Summary: Stick with Bantock
Review: Somewhat entertaining, but could be much better. A modern "abstract art" remake of Bantock, and not as good. The plot is a bit lacking, and the air of sensuality seems to be conveyed by frequent protrayl of nude and topless women that left me feeling the author has a breast fetish. I like the idea of the abstract letters and telegrams, but they don't actually convey meaning. If you like the style and you have money to burn, I don't think it's a waste. However, I think anything by Bantock or Hodgson's "The Tattooed Map" are much better.

Rating:
Summary: Show, don't tell.
Review: The graphic elements are nice enough, but the text keeps TELLING you how splendidly exotic the Republic of Dreams is, instead of SHOWING you, by portraying examples of Reverian exoticism in action. All the Reverians are "creative" and "mysterious" and "tender", we are told, but we don't catch them in the act of being these things. What passes for an "atmosphere" of exotic pleasure in this book is really fairly trite ... snifters of brandy, "fine wines", 1920s-style passenger trains ... nice, but nothing surprising here. Sadly, the author falls into the old Star Trek trick of faking exoticism by pairing a mundane noun with a made-up "exotic" proper adjective.... "We dined on Lunarian caviar while sipping Reverian champagne." Or words to that effect. Also, the author tells you that certain neighborhoods of the capital city of the island reminded one of Paris at its best and as Paris might have been .... it would have been better to tell me things about those neighborhoods that brought Paris to my mind, while leaving the word "Paris" unsaid.

Pretty tepid stuff. Ho hum.

Rating:
Summary: Republic of Dreams
Review: The Republic of Dreams left me wondering about the nature of identities and illusion, which I spend a great deal of my life analyzing anyway. The creative twists in the story crystallize just a tendril prematurely, however, isn't that how the real world works?
Anyway, since the author actively engages his true self in the presence of the story, the reader is swept in, or more accurately, immersed in the legendary place and the events that stream forth in the story. If you are a fan of the old Muppet Story opening song by Kermit-the-Frog, then this verse will be familiar to you and it will sing to you from the pages in this book... Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me.