tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5767816.post8408269376781601824..comments2024-02-20T03:18:43.590-05:00Comments on Magnificent Octopus: Survival is insufficientIsabella Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10735198478395875257noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5767816.post-42147885406319731722016-09-17T21:56:54.587-04:002016-09-17T21:56:54.587-04:00Yup, Mandel hits your 3 points, Mongo. Those are g...Yup, Mandel hits your 3 points, Mongo. Those are good criteria.<br /><br />I will definitely look out for more of her books, but wouldn't be surprised if this one is mostly forgotten by the world in a few years.Isabella Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10735198478395875257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5767816.post-45924535683885947272016-09-14T10:42:15.268-04:002016-09-14T10:42:15.268-04:00I read Station Eleven around the same time as atte...I read Station Eleven around the same time as attending a production of 'The Simpsons (A Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy)' at ACT in San Francisco, both of which use the image of Chautauqua-as-survival-tool. I enjoyed the book; hated the play.<br /><br />I hope a book will do three basic things: Suspend my disbelief (does this created world hang and bend together, even if [like China Mieville] it's fantasy?); Make me care about the characters; Make me say <i>Goddamn it; I don't want to sleep yet, what happens next?</i> Mandel's book did that. <br /><br />And, it had a believable ending which I almost didn't see coming -- I was expecting something like Heller's 'The Dog Stars', another dystopian post-pandemic romp -- but I also agree: Even though it deals with the collapse of civilization, it's a fine and gentle tale, and doesn't completely stick.Mongo, At The Momenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00973606827337262084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5767816.post-8811705867025585042016-09-13T15:22:16.600-04:002016-09-13T15:22:16.600-04:00I liked the book too, recommended it to a lot of p...I liked the book too, recommended it to a lot of people but never think about it any longer unless I see the title somewhere. It's good for sure, but I agree, I don't think it has staying power.Stefaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943596258182968212noreply@blogger.com