Yup another Horror review, we couldn't resist. Halloween is so much fun around here. Stay tuned Monday for an oldie but a goodie review from our very own Miranda aka MyEclecticBook!
I first learned of the book Drood by Dan Simmons
when Amazon.com recommended it to me. I read the description and
immediately HAD to have this book. The below summary is quoted from
Publishers Weekly:
“Bestseller
Simmons (The Terror) brilliantly imagines a terrifying sequence of
events as the inspiration for Dickens's last, uncompleted novel, The
Mystery of Edwin Drood, in this unsettling and complex thriller. In the
course of narrowly escaping death in an 1865 train wreck and trying to
rescue fellow passengers, Dickens encounters a ghoulish figure named
Drood, who had apparently been traveling in a coffin. Along with his
real-life novelist friend Wilkie Collins, who narrates the tale, Dickens
pursues the elusive Drood, an effort that leads the pair to a
nightmarish world beneath London's streets. Collins begins to wonder
whether the object of their quest, if indeed the man exists, is merely a
cover for his colleague's own murderous inclinations.”
Are
you serious? A mystery about two of the all-time great writers and
based in part on actual historic events which inspired Dickens’ novel
about Edwin Drood. What’s not to like here? I ordered the hardcover on
the spot.
Unfortunately,
I was a bit disappointed. The idea was interesting. The opium-addicted
Wilkie Collins narration was brilliant and funny. The historic detail
was well researched and spot on. The complex relationship between the
authors were insightful. The scenes in the London sewers and opium dens
were creepy as hell. So, why didn’t I enjoy reading this book more than I
did? I’ve given this a lot of thought and I think this was a situation
where the editor should have exercised more control over the project.
It’s not just that the book was long… it was the fact that your could
have cut 50-75 pages without losing anything. Several times I sat this
book aside to read other things and procrastinated getting back to it.
If any of you know me at all, you would know how unlike me that is.
Finishing the book had almost become a chore, rather than enjoyable
recreation.
For
those who are Dickens’ fans, this novel should be interesting enough to
hold your attention. However, if you have not read several of Dickens’
books (especially Bleak House), you may get bored with all of the
literary references. Overall, I would say that Drood has some incredible things going for it, it just takes some commitment to actually read.
Plot – 1 ½ bookmarks (too sllllloooooowwwww)
Literary Merit – 2 bookmarks (without further edits), 4 1/2 bookmarks possible if tightened up.
Character Development – 3 ½ bookmarks
Creepy Factor – 2 ½ bookmarks
Historical Detail – 4 ½ bookmarks
Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) –
Paul Giamatti (Wilkie Collins), Anthony Hopkins (Charles Dickens), The
tall creepy dude who was on the TV show Moonlighting in the 80’s (Drood)
