Peaces

I had literally zero ideas about this book ahead of time. I am generally an Oyeyemi fan and requested it from the library.

On one hand, this is one of her more linear books, I think. (Not that that's saying much of anything at all.) On the other hand, it's very hard to pinpoint all that is going on here. There are many themes, some having to do with seeing or unseeing others (those we let into our life, those we cut out or ignore or try to erase all remembrances of), being seen or unseen ourselves. We also have unreliable narrators, liars, hypnotists, mongeese, and a mysterious train. And then there's art -- written, visual, musical -- and what do you see in it? How do you approach it?

Ultimately I think it may be a book about show more relationships -- with ourselves, with others from lovers to strangers, with the art that surrounds us, with the worlds we inhabit in reality and in our dreams, with the families we have or we create, with our outlook on the world and how we present ourselves to the world, whether we are seen or not seen by others and the world at large.

As usual, Oyeyemi's hypnotic storytelling pulls you into another world, a slightly sinister, slightly shining mirage of our world... but just a few paces off.

I enjoyed being mesmerized, even if I am not entirely certain of all the twists and turns, nor of the final outcome. It was still a hell of a trip until debarking on the last page.

Editing to add: Oyeyemi often makes clever references to other works in her stories, from folklore to fairy tales to novels. The most obvious reference here is to Kipling's Rikki Tikki Tavi and some more obscure/atmospheric references to (perhaps) Agatha Christie mysteries on a train.... I am sure there are plenty of other references and allusions that I missed. show less

Otto and his partner Xavier are given a train trip as a gift from Otto's aunt as a sort of honeymoon, they find themselves in a magical world where the rules change arbitrarily. They are pulled into an odd story of a dead man and his son, and the theremin player who stands to inherit millions, while also encountering assorted ex-lovers and a pair of mongooses.

This is a book I struggled to read. Oyeyemi is a talented author and the novel was beautifully written, but there wasn't anything for me to hold on to. When anything can happen at any moment, there's no way to surprise the reader, at least this reader. And without any sort of narrative tension, I was left with a series of lovely vignettes, none of which I felt invested in. More show more sophisticated readers and those who don't need their fantasy grounded in some sort of ground rules will like this novel a lot more than I did. show less

Set on a train called the Lucky Day, carrying only a few passengers, Otto and Xavier have embarked on a “non-honeymoon honeymoon” as a gift from Xavier’s aunt. The passengers are traveling with a mongoose (or two!). There is a woman living on the train who must prove her sanity prior to turning age thirty to receive an inheritance. There is a quasi-plot, a few mysteries, and several loosely connected segments that touch on topics such as mental health, relationships, and individuality.

This book reads like a fable. It contains many outlandish elements and gets increasingly bizarre. I enjoyed the setup and early chapters. As I read it, I felt a rhythmic quality in the language. Oyeyemi writes beautiful sentences. I just wish they show more had been woven into a more cohesive story. If it had stayed as playful as it started, I probably would have loved it, but it gets darker and more fragmented as it goes along. I struggled with this one, mostly due to my preference for more straight-forward storytelling. show less

Set on a train called the Lucky Day, carrying only a few passengers, Otto and Xavier have embarked on a “non-honeymoon honeymoon” as a gift from Xavier’s aunt. The passengers are traveling with a mongoose (or two!). There is a woman living on the train who must prove her sanity prior to turning age thirty to receive an inheritance. There is a quasi-plot, a few mysteries, and several loosely connected segments that touch on topics such as mental health, relationships, and individuality.

This book reads like a fable. It contains many outlandish elements and gets increasingly bizarre. I enjoyed the setup and early chapters. As I read it, I felt a rhythmic quality in the language. Oyeyemi writes beautiful sentences. I just wish they show more had been woven into a more cohesive story. If it had stayed as playful as it started, I probably would have loved it, but it gets darker and more fragmented as it goes along. I struggled with this one, mostly due to my preference for more straight-forward storytelling. show less

I’ve never used the word “bonkers” to describe a book, but the latest from Oyeyemi is bonkers. Otto, a hypnotist and his boyfriend take a “non-honeymoon honeymoon”. Xavier’s aunt has arranged a train trip for them. Its not just the two of them going. They take their pet mongoose. Mystery abounds as a stranger passenger threatens the inheritance of the train’s owner. There are laughs and suspense as Oyeyemi weaves together the story of the people on the train. It’s not my favorite novel from this author, but its inventive and fun with some insights I didn’t expect.

Strange, interesting but difficult read. The story is told in part through pieces of flashbacks that sort of merge together by the end. I found myself looking back, trying to remember. Perhaps this was done intentionally as the characters themselves try to piece together their own stories.

For most of the book, I struggled to understand what was happening and what was important. The novel is about a pair of young sort-of-newlywed men who take a train journey where they are among a very short list of other passengers. However, I never felt particularly attached to any of the characters. Strange things abound. The end is an interesting concept, idea. I'm not sure that I like the novel, but it was different.

If you like stories where show more reality is bent to explore *ideas of reality*, you may enjoy this novel. show less

A few tips on how to read this book if you're having trouble getting into it:
*Read the print book, don't listen to the audiobook (I love audiobooks, just not for this book! It was useful to flip backwards and reread sections often).
*Don't read the book right before bed when you're tired and about to fall asleep.
*Read in the largest chunks you can, ideally for an hour minimum.
*And read it twice!
This is what worked for me, at least. I really struggled at first and nearly gave up on the book....but I'm so glad I stayed with it. And I'm so glad I'm reading the book again. The second read is much more relaxing and wonderful, almost magical. This book isn't for everyone but it ended up for me and I'm really grateful to have read it. And show more I now want to read everything Helen Oyeyemi ever wrote. show less