Marisha Pessl, 2013
Random House, 602 pgs.
This book is the reason why you should never underestimate the artists who make book covers. If the cover wasn't intriguing to me when I was glancing over the New Releases" in my local bookstore, I would have never picked it up and read the dust jacket synopsis.
It was love at first sight, after immediately purchasing it, I raced home to read it. It took me 1 week to finish the book, and 2 weeks to prepare a haiku and write the review. After careful consideration and many drafts, I decided to re-read the book again. Just to be sure I had everything I wanted to say written down. I hardly ever re-read a book.
Seriously people, it was that good.
The book starts out with a questionable suicide of a 24 year old piano prodigy named Ashley Cordova, who is the only daughter of very famous cult cinema giant Stanislas Cordova; An incredibly well known recluse who is legendary for his explicit and terrifyingly realistic horror films. Our hero is Scott McGrath, a well known investigative journalist whose career took a severe burn by trying to uncover the true nature of the Cordova family. Scott believes with all this heart that Ashley was murdered by Cordova and/or his associates, and- with the help of two young, offbeat, questionable cohorts- thus starts a thrilling, chilling, spellbinding mystery though NY state where we are thrown somewhere between suspension of disbelief, and absolute reality.
It's hard to really discuss this book without spoiling some of what happens. As it is my supreme objective to not ruin a book, nor give any sort of spoilers, I will only give broad, confusing, mysterious reasons as to why I enjoyed this book.
This is a book about finding the truth, as you see it. At least that's what I took away from it. You are tossed about on this journey of false leads and dead ends, but if you read between the lines you will eventually understand the beauty that was the end of this book. A read a lot of reviews and the general consensus is that the ending fell short. But, if reading deeper into it, it was the perfect way to end it. (I know, confusing right? You'll understand if you pick it up and read it.) This book is a ride, a hell of a ride. There were only a few instances where it was getting slow or something became unbelievable to me, but at that point(s) in the story is where the fun part comes in. It's a tale. A fiction. You are supposed to suspend disbelief for a while and just enjoy where this book takes you. If you don't then you're not reading it correctly. It's meant to frighten, to excite, to humiliate the reader. It tricks you in the best way possible.
Pessl is a wonderful writer, she crafted a dark, richly detailed, elaborate literary mystery novel. I love her use of multi-media and unconventional ways to write a book. It was very "House of Leaves". Astounding, I cannot get enough of her. The book instructs you to download the free "Night Film" App in order to discover more clues or go in depth about the clues in the book. The app could still use some work and I believe she or the publisher could have taken it further but it's a great little addendum to an already excellent book. That being said, this is the way a mystery novel should be written in this digital age.
Other than some complications with the app, the only thing I didn't enjoy is her overuse of italics. Most seemed unnecessary. Especially when every other word is italicized. It started to feel hokey. But please don't let this stop you from enjoying this book. If you're a film fan, a mystery fan, a horror buff, or some hipster who is sick and tired of talking about House of Leaves or Ayn Rand novels, go read this book.
Book Haiku (for the people who have read the book)
Do I dare disturb?
To go where the mermaids lie.
To find the real truth?
Book Haiku (for the people who haven't read the book)
Go ingest this book.
No. Seriously. Take heed.
And go read this book.
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