tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post4098044929702934689..comments2024-03-27T05:13:25.241-05:00Comments on The New Dork Review of Books: The Last Werewolf: A Bit on the Contrived SideGreg Zimmermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08122230426442946518noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-77942631349462840942012-01-05T09:05:34.720-06:002012-01-05T09:05:34.720-06:00Thank you so much! After this starting popping up...Thank you so much! After this starting popping up everywhere, I gave it a whirl and felt really defeated when I set it aside with no qualms whatsoever (not an easy feat for me). I felt it was all a bit contrived and overreaching and wondered if I was the only one.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-62453893196746397432012-01-04T10:27:12.372-06:002012-01-04T10:27:12.372-06:00You're right! At about 100 pages it really st...You're right! At about 100 pages it really started to pick up.Brookshttp://www.4everoverhead.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-24261149442794332912012-01-03T21:58:44.681-06:002012-01-03T21:58:44.681-06:00I think the reason I felt like the "reflectio...I think the reason I felt like the "reflection scenes" were so dull is not that I don't like rumination, but because it all felt so obvious (of course a guy who can't die is going to wonder about what it all means!), and then, so redundant. We get Jake wondering about the meaning of life for the whole first third of the book, and then we get the whole thing again when (SPOILER) he and Talulla are driving around America. <br /><br />But I'm glad we agree on the end result. Thanks for a thoughtful comment!Greg Zimmermanhttp://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-41555342679528742632012-01-03T21:17:58.770-06:002012-01-03T21:17:58.770-06:00I read Duncan's novel a few months ago, and co...I read Duncan's novel a few months ago, and couldn't quite put my finger on why I didn't like it. I felt it was gratuitous (we get it, he's a monster), and I had trouble following the plot. You've hit the nail on the head with this review — it does feel rather <i>deus ex machina</i>-y to me, with a lot of coincidences.<br /><br />When it comes to action scenes vs. reflection, though, I'm totally the opposite of you. For me the action was, again, gratuitous and easily skipped; I preferred reading Jacob's inner monologue. I'm not often in the mood for ruminations on the nature of humanity, but I think I read the book at just the right time. <br /><br />That said, I still didn't really like it. :)Bookzillahttp://couchpotatocritic.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-42729512592786426172012-01-03T15:41:00.082-06:002012-01-03T15:41:00.082-06:00Yeah, it was a weird novel in that he had a fantas...Yeah, it was a weird novel in that he had a fantastic groundwork laid, and then seemed to lose his way - and the plot turns got more and more contrived. Oh, but is Jake REALLY the last werewolf? Are they REALLY trying to hunt him? Etc...Greg Zimmermanhttp://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-76245947482242864412012-01-03T15:21:16.876-06:002012-01-03T15:21:16.876-06:00I've only read positive reviews of this, but I...I've only read positive reviews of this, but I haven't read it. I'm happy to see a different perspective. I can see how pulling off this concept could easily veer off track.Lauranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-45364432652215913052012-01-03T14:29:22.598-06:002012-01-03T14:29:22.598-06:00I think I may have actually liked this slightly mo...I think I may have actually liked this slightly more than Zone One, but you're right, definitely the same category. Maybe it's not such an "up-and-coming genre" after all...Greg Zimmermanhttp://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-15237158660656300292012-01-03T14:10:26.945-06:002012-01-03T14:10:26.945-06:00The day after I got back to the States for the hol...The day after I got back to the States for the holidays, I was standing in the library trying to decide between this and Zone One. (Perhaps unfairly, I stuck them in the same category - you know, Literary Novel + Zombies being pretty much the same as Literary Novel + Werewolf.) Glad I went with Zone One.Ellen Rhudyhttp://fatbooks.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-19329088360290252272012-01-03T14:08:26.345-06:002012-01-03T14:08:26.345-06:00Yeah, the first 100 pages or so went really, reall...Yeah, the first 100 pages or so went really, really slowly for me too. But then it picks up for about 50 pages and goes by in a blur. Then it's really boring for awhile again, and then picks up for the last 50 or so pages, but by then you're already kind of rolling your eyes.Greg Zimmermanhttp://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-54930121450158420652012-01-03T14:07:29.054-06:002012-01-03T14:07:29.054-06:00I've heard the same about his other books. It ...I've heard the same about his other books. It just felt like several times he wrote himself into a corner (Stephen King-like) and then had to use less-than-on-the-level literary tactics to get out of it.Greg Zimmermanhttp://www.thenewdorkreviewofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-34100136780254406652012-01-03T13:24:52.737-06:002012-01-03T13:24:52.737-06:00I'm only about a quarter through the book and ...I'm only about a quarter through the book and I'm seriously considering giving it up. You're right, it's really, really dull in some places even though the writing itself is quite good. It has continued to slowly get better, but your review has me thinking I should cut my losses!Brookshttp://www.4everoverhead.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5060047013304842896.post-65454154464926437432012-01-03T12:20:10.037-06:002012-01-03T12:20:10.037-06:00Agree completely. I felt like Duncan was wasting h...Agree completely. I felt like Duncan was wasting his really fantastic writing on high school level philosophy and a kinda silly plot. I've heard his other work is better (and not as...gross...)DeadWhiteGuysnoreply@blogger.com