The CALIFORNIA BOOK OF THE DEAD

Rating:
Summary: Pleasant but not masterful or overwhelming
Review: Having an absolute passion for San Francisco I was thrilled to find this book, and while the read has been relatively enjoyable, this book did not set my world alight.Unfortunately many reviews rave about it, but I can't see why. The characters are stiff and developed as subtly as cardboard cutouts. Plot developments are clumsy and obvious. The writing style is fine, but altogether the book becomes a very bland and superficial interpretation of lives and loves in one of the world's most exciting cities.The book also does not delve into the city - there is little action in the environs which is a real disappointment.Marlowe and Daa also take on a 'token' lesbianism after a while. All the heterosexual characters have sex often but Marlowe just wants men, while Daa, the 'real' lesbian, comes across as underdeveloped as a character and dull to boot.So why did I rate it at all? Because it's gentle and pleasant, because I think the other worldliness and craziness of the spiritual quest in California is well portrayed, and because it helped me to fall asleep each night.

Rating:
Summary: worth reading
Review: i recently read this book and i heartily agree with the first reviewer. i couldn't stop reading the book. and as i read more and more i started hating marlowe more and more and i agree that the ending was REALLY ill fitting. i think that the reasoning for this is on the most part that i didn't see why someone would end a loving relationship with someone that was working fine for 10 years and just decide to go off and be with a guy JUST becuase he was a guy no matter how unfit for marriage. it's just stupid. i think that in this day and age people can see a good relationship is a good relationship. and the writer must have gotten confused and panicked or something. HOWEVER the rest of the book is interesting and overall it's not bad. im actually interested in reading more books by the same author simply because of how wonderfully he wrote. i dont think you'll be too disappointed. give it a chance!

Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: This book was fairly well-written and interesting - though Marlowe is a thoroughly despicable and unlikeable character. I actually enjoyed reading it - despite Marlowe - until I got to the end, where it turned into a piece of garbagio. Truly, the ending wasn't fitting at all and seemed rather slapdash to me. I would have given this book four stars, if not for the horrendous ending.