Top positive review
72 people found this helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsHow I read The Original Dream and why I nearly missed out....
ByEileen M. Newmanon December 17, 2016
This review will not have spoilers, nor will it say much about what transpires at all, in fact. I do not want to detract from it in that way. This review will merely state how I read it to the end.
In truth, I was not going to review this book at all or, if I ever did, not this soon. I am still marinating in it, or it is marinating in me. I am not sure. Thinking of it just today, and how a few weeks have gone by, I became curious about how others saw it. Did many feel likewise moved as I was after having read it?
I am somewhat surprised by the preponderance of negative reviews. Admittedly, the novel was confusing to me at first. Many reviewers by their account felt similarly. Naturally, I can appreciate that criticism. As I consider myself a researcher, I read for information probably more than most, Having adopted a regular "just the facts, ma'am" personality from years of reading straightforward articles, essays, and non-fiction, I recently started reading fiction again. [Finally!]
"What is the problem here?" I took my glasses off and rubbed at my eyes, mulling it over. I looked over at my daughter. Seeing her brought my husband to mind. The similarities in them will do that sometimes. He passed on years ago, yet he gave me a "eureka" moment as though he was right there. He had not been a reader. Movies were his reading preference. Being dyslexic, I suppose that was fortuitous.
Years ago, as craziness erupted on the big screen within the first few moments of the film, my husband whispered excitedly to our daughters: "Fasten your seatbelts, we're in for a bumpy ride!" He knew right off he would enjoy the heck out of the movie if he just held on till the end-- and just experienced it. He wanted them to do the same to get the full effect of the rush of free-falling.
I realized my modus operandi as the reader needed to change or this was not going to end well-- if I even finished at all! I am too stubborn to admit defeat that quickly, trust me! I took a few deep breaths and vowed to go for the experience and to ebb and flow to the beat of the author's stream-of-consciousness. It turns out; it is a ride, indeed!
Nukila Amal's is a metaphorical and poetic treatment of prose in The Original Dream. It is not your usual read; it is true. If you prefer your narrative simple and straight, then you may go away utterly disappointed like some rich young ruler in the Bible-- or as I nearly had done. However, if you are in it for the adventure of reading, of being translated elsewhere and altering your perspective on the turn of a dime, then this alley is one you want to meander down to see where it leads. This journey will prove the path less traveled by, but the lack of footsteps that trod it before does not imply it is barren or desolate. It is lush and rich with ideas as well as overgrown vegetation. The patient reader will prevail still. It has made all the difference-- just as Robert Frost promised.
I was able to read this title as my Kindle First selection for the month of December.
In truth, I was not going to review this book at all or, if I ever did, not this soon. I am still marinating in it, or it is marinating in me. I am not sure. Thinking of it just today, and how a few weeks have gone by, I became curious about how others saw it. Did many feel likewise moved as I was after having read it?
I am somewhat surprised by the preponderance of negative reviews. Admittedly, the novel was confusing to me at first. Many reviewers by their account felt similarly. Naturally, I can appreciate that criticism. As I consider myself a researcher, I read for information probably more than most, Having adopted a regular "just the facts, ma'am" personality from years of reading straightforward articles, essays, and non-fiction, I recently started reading fiction again. [Finally!]
"What is the problem here?" I took my glasses off and rubbed at my eyes, mulling it over. I looked over at my daughter. Seeing her brought my husband to mind. The similarities in them will do that sometimes. He passed on years ago, yet he gave me a "eureka" moment as though he was right there. He had not been a reader. Movies were his reading preference. Being dyslexic, I suppose that was fortuitous.
Years ago, as craziness erupted on the big screen within the first few moments of the film, my husband whispered excitedly to our daughters: "Fasten your seatbelts, we're in for a bumpy ride!" He knew right off he would enjoy the heck out of the movie if he just held on till the end-- and just experienced it. He wanted them to do the same to get the full effect of the rush of free-falling.
I realized my modus operandi as the reader needed to change or this was not going to end well-- if I even finished at all! I am too stubborn to admit defeat that quickly, trust me! I took a few deep breaths and vowed to go for the experience and to ebb and flow to the beat of the author's stream-of-consciousness. It turns out; it is a ride, indeed!
Nukila Amal's is a metaphorical and poetic treatment of prose in The Original Dream. It is not your usual read; it is true. If you prefer your narrative simple and straight, then you may go away utterly disappointed like some rich young ruler in the Bible-- or as I nearly had done. However, if you are in it for the adventure of reading, of being translated elsewhere and altering your perspective on the turn of a dime, then this alley is one you want to meander down to see where it leads. This journey will prove the path less traveled by, but the lack of footsteps that trod it before does not imply it is barren or desolate. It is lush and rich with ideas as well as overgrown vegetation. The patient reader will prevail still. It has made all the difference-- just as Robert Frost promised.
I was able to read this title as my Kindle First selection for the month of December.
Top critical review
129 people found this helpful
3.0 out of 5 starsYou may enjoy this if...
BySarah Bon December 5, 2016
Will you like it?
1. Do you enjoy magical realism? (E.g., One Hundred Years of Solitude) I'm not just referring to magical elements in a realist setting--many genres meet this definition. One specific feature I've noticed is a tendency to digress into long, epic tales of myth and history, either of the main character's family, or the regional mythology. Some readers will love these flowery, romantic and often violent tangents, and others may see them as a distraction from the main story.
2. What's your tolerance for a meandering plot? In the case of The Original Dream, "plot" is a very loose concept. The narrative alternates between Maya's real life and her dreams, with her dreams often spanning several consecutive chapters. I often found that the dreams' plots were more straightforward than her real life, much of which is spent in stream-of-consciousness rumination. Maya admits that she has always preferred stories with no beginning and no end, and we can take this as a cue from Amal that we should not expect a neat, traditional plot arc. For most of the book, the writing was so good that I was okay with little plot, but it did wear on me. Amal is such a fantastic writer than whenever she delved into the mundane reality, I loved it and wanted more. A hilarious, evocative conversation between co-workers, a touching bonding scene between Maya and her newborn nephew, a tantalizing hint of forbidden romance. I kept aching for Amal to return to these elements of real story--she could obviously pull off a traditional story if she wanted to. The fact that her preference instead is to lose herself and the reader in layer upon layer of symbolism, philosophy, identity deconstruction, etc, may appeal to some and grate on others.
3. How much does the artistry of writing matter to you? I can't finish a book if I'm not captivated by the language, if I don't admire it and recall it later in the day, when I'm at the supermarket or dealing with a screaming toddler. This book does that for me--Amal's language shattered some glass pane in my head, and overwhelmed me with a tidal wash of imagery I'd never experienced before. For me, this saved the book. If language isn't extremely important to you, and plot is, I wouldn't recommend it. I look forward to reading more of Amal--hopefully she veers a little toward Rushdie, or one of the magical realists who manage to layer myriad plots in along with the psychedelic magical journeys.
Here's one of my many favorite swatches of writing. It's also an example of how Amal can belabor a single idea in a way that some will love and some will hate:
"Have you ever felt, O Maia, that in truth you are a merry-go-round horse, an irritating bandage on your finger that won't come off, a clown seeking a circus, a point not yet on the line, a baby chick who thinks it's a baby duck, last night's coffee, a drug-flavored donut, a corpse on a condolence call, a glass about to break, a fish in an aquarium, a Neanderthal? A spore-partying poisonous mushroom? Veiled, dreamless, edgeless, dream of a woman."
1. Do you enjoy magical realism? (E.g., One Hundred Years of Solitude) I'm not just referring to magical elements in a realist setting--many genres meet this definition. One specific feature I've noticed is a tendency to digress into long, epic tales of myth and history, either of the main character's family, or the regional mythology. Some readers will love these flowery, romantic and often violent tangents, and others may see them as a distraction from the main story.
2. What's your tolerance for a meandering plot? In the case of The Original Dream, "plot" is a very loose concept. The narrative alternates between Maya's real life and her dreams, with her dreams often spanning several consecutive chapters. I often found that the dreams' plots were more straightforward than her real life, much of which is spent in stream-of-consciousness rumination. Maya admits that she has always preferred stories with no beginning and no end, and we can take this as a cue from Amal that we should not expect a neat, traditional plot arc. For most of the book, the writing was so good that I was okay with little plot, but it did wear on me. Amal is such a fantastic writer than whenever she delved into the mundane reality, I loved it and wanted more. A hilarious, evocative conversation between co-workers, a touching bonding scene between Maya and her newborn nephew, a tantalizing hint of forbidden romance. I kept aching for Amal to return to these elements of real story--she could obviously pull off a traditional story if she wanted to. The fact that her preference instead is to lose herself and the reader in layer upon layer of symbolism, philosophy, identity deconstruction, etc, may appeal to some and grate on others.
3. How much does the artistry of writing matter to you? I can't finish a book if I'm not captivated by the language, if I don't admire it and recall it later in the day, when I'm at the supermarket or dealing with a screaming toddler. This book does that for me--Amal's language shattered some glass pane in my head, and overwhelmed me with a tidal wash of imagery I'd never experienced before. For me, this saved the book. If language isn't extremely important to you, and plot is, I wouldn't recommend it. I look forward to reading more of Amal--hopefully she veers a little toward Rushdie, or one of the magical realists who manage to layer myriad plots in along with the psychedelic magical journeys.
Here's one of my many favorite swatches of writing. It's also an example of how Amal can belabor a single idea in a way that some will love and some will hate:
"Have you ever felt, O Maia, that in truth you are a merry-go-round horse, an irritating bandage on your finger that won't come off, a clown seeking a circus, a point not yet on the line, a baby chick who thinks it's a baby duck, last night's coffee, a drug-flavored donut, a corpse on a condolence call, a glass about to break, a fish in an aquarium, a Neanderthal? A spore-partying poisonous mushroom? Veiled, dreamless, edgeless, dream of a woman."
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ByMalvin L. Mirandaon January 4, 2017
I read the whole novel despite the fact that I had a difficult time understanding it. The story was disjointed and confusing, The author begins with what seems like a creation myth, with a little history thrown in. Then she moves quickly to the modern era in Indonesia with the story of a young Indonesia girl/woman. The novel left me puzzled and confused.
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ByAmazon Customeron April 5, 2017
This book captured me and held me prisoner in a dream. Reading to close to bedtime brought strange dreams of my own. I want to know more.
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Bynoodlebutton January 11, 2017
There isn't really "sexual content" but it's implied. Nothing graphic.
Not sure if it's because it was translated or because I know nothing about Indonesian culture/language but it was a bit confusing. Overall it was interesting but it took a long time to get through. Not one I'd reread. But I also wouldn't say it's not worth reading once.
Not sure if it's because it was translated or because I know nothing about Indonesian culture/language but it was a bit confusing. Overall it was interesting but it took a long time to get through. Not one I'd reread. But I also wouldn't say it's not worth reading once.
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ByMarilynne Durrett-Johnsonon March 4, 2017
Different perspective on writing. Interesting
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ByMelissa June Maloneon January 2, 2017
This is a good book if you are less into the story line and more into interpretation. I prefer a story over metaphorical jargon but if you prefer the opposite then this book is for you.
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ByM2G7Bon March 9, 2017
It was okay but not really my style.
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Byleeon March 21, 2017
haven't read the book yet
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ByJanitor Bon March 9, 2017
No really my kind of book.
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ByAmazon Customeron February 4, 2017
The flow of writing was different to anything I am used to, still enjoyable. It has a great concept, and I'm sure is wonderful, but I didn't end up finishing it, because it switched views (1st to 3rd, each chapter), and found it difficult to know what was going on.
Hope another reader enjoys more than I.
Hope another reader enjoys more than I.
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BySilver Slipperon March 13, 2017
He loved it
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