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Summary: Sarah Canary; the ultimate outsider?
Review: 'Sarah Canary' is steeped rich in period detail, a western through the eyes, not of the pioneer but if the Chinese outsider. Through this historical fabric is a pattern, subtle as the watermarks though silk, that nothing may be quite as we perceive it, and yet as we expect, so shall we see. For Sarah Canary is what her observers make of her, a glimpse of the strange, that can be shaped according to their own expectations. The journey, not the destination is the essence here, and the novel has a haunting quality that derives, in part, from its lack of formal resolution; the inference that by insisting on fitting the unusual into a familiar category, we lose out on something magical, something outside our own experience, something we may never get the chance to see again...
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Summary: I came to her first book last --
Review: -- and I may like it the best. Karen Joy Fowler is, by far and away, My Favorite Stylist. It's that demure sense of humor that gets under my skin like a fine-edged scalpel. It's that ability to assemble seemingly random tidbits to form a thematic whole (fans of _Wisconsin Death Trip_ will understand the pleasure in this. Fowler does it best, I think, in her short story, "The Elizabeth Complex"). None of her characters are saints, none villains, but they are all human, all the time, and Fowler portrays them with honesty, empathy, and above all, humor.(On a purely personal note, I'm a native of Washington state, and I found it great fun running into all the familiar place-names, especially Squak, my hometown -- known, these days, as Issaquah.)
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Summary: Odd And Compelling
Review: A very odd and compelling story. I found it difficult to believe the actions of most of the characters in this story. B.J. was the most believable. The workings of his mind were interesting to follow, being humorous at times and insightful at other times. The main pull of the story, for me, was to find out what is Sarah Canary and what happens to her. I was disappointed in this regard, as this issue was never satisfactorily resolved. It was an interesting story, but failed to answer the many questions that were raised throughout. The book seemed to dissipate rather than end. I would be interested to hear a discussion group's insight on this book. Maybe there is something I am missing.
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Summary: Potboiler Disguised as Literature
Review: Don't be seduced by the plot synopsis. This book is boring, the prose is generic. Each chapter begins with irrelevant historical facts. Science Fiction fans: there are more imaginative authors. Literary types: there are similar books that are well written, like Beloved by Toni Morrison. Skip this trashy book and save yourself some time.
Rating:
Summary: Potboiler Disguised as Literature
Review: Don't be seduced by the plot synopsis. This book is boring, the prose is generic. Each chapter begins with irrelevant historical facts. Science Fiction fans: there are more imaginative authors. Literary types: there are similar books that are well written, like Beloved by Toni Morrison. Skip this trashy book and save yourself some time.
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Summary: Dreary
Review: I may be in the minority, but I found this book dreary, never-ending, and never going anywhere. Interesting period, but a waste of time. Presumptuous to think that this would be a great read for a book club (re: the pages at the back of the book containing discussion questions, and even the authors notes). May be thought provoking for high schoolers, if they can get through it.
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Summary: Superior, imaginative novel
Review: I recommend this book to everyone who asks me, "Have you read any good books lately?" I read this book about 7 years ago and very few novels match its depth of humanity and scope of the imagination. Sarah Canary, the novel, is an adventure with everything. Sarah Canary, the chracter, is a metaphor for the changing perceptions of human beings. Depending on the character's perceptions Sarah becomes a wild woman to be exploited, a victim of circumstances to be saved, a beauty to be admired. The introductory passages in which Fowler discusses the news events of America in the nineteenth century parallel the oddities of present day American current events - the love of the bizarre, the sensational, the surreal. Interesting to see how Fowler sees the novel as a retelling of The Wizard of Oz, something I wish I had caught on my first reading.
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Summary: Sarah Canary Disappoints
Review: I was, unfortunately, a victim of the hype this novel has generated and went out of my way to obtain a copy. The writing is quite good for a first novel, but the title character of Sarah is not even well-developed enough to be called two-dimensional. She represents nothing and is nothing but a catalyst that brings disparate types of individuals together. The ending is a mishmash of diverse philosphies and ridiculous scenes which seem forced and stilted. Let this Canary fly away!
Rating:
Summary: Sarah Canary Disappoints
Review: I was, unfortunately, a victim of the hype this novel has generated and went out of my way to obtain a copy. The writing is quite good for a first novel, but the title character of Sarah is not even well-developed enough to be called two-dimensional. She represents nothing and is nothing but a catalyst that brings disparate types of individuals together. The ending is a mishmash of diverse philosphies and ridiculous scenes which seem forced and stilted. Let this Canary fly away!
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Summary: A quirky, unclassifiable book, but not my bag.
Review: I would recommend this book to literary types, anyone who like the movie "The Piano", & maybe even Northern Exposure fans. This book skirts many genres Western, science fiction, fantasy, quest novel, & mainstream literature without really belonging in any of them. The moments about oddball history were my favorites. Also Fowler is willing to show the negative sides of feminists(In fact I thought the feminist character was rather unpleasant & as exploitive of sarah as anyone) Although the feminist agenda is there & I think that's what turned me off. (I remember all the "sane" white males being unpleasant, but that may not be true.) The idea that the eccentrics are ,perhaps, better people is appealing & the book has a certain charm. This is a book that I think some will absolutely love, I'm just not one of them.
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