I finished another Jonathan Carroll book today and it's another one that's hard to describe, yet another one that I loved so much. I'm quickly learning that Jonathan Carroll is an author that I should've discovered long ago and certainly an author that is on the fast track to my favorite authors list. I listened to White Apples on audio as I did just a few weeks ago with The Land of Laughs. Both books are part of Neil Gaiman's line for Audible and at this point I'm kind of wishing he would just take all of Mr. Carroll's books and make them into audio productions. Because I'm finding that I LOVE being read his books. The one thing I find I don't love about listening to the audio is that it's hard for me to write down quotes because I'm normally driving, but damn does Carroll have some amazing quote worth passages in his books. He's just an amazing writer.
White Apples is a very different book from The Land of Laughs, yet his characters are very similar. It's another book with very three dimensional characters that we quickly come attached to and take this journey with as they struggle with what they've been faced with. In this story, Vincent Ettrich is faced with life...being brought back to life, that is. And he's brought back to life under very interesting circumstances. He has a few guides and a few clues to help him learn what he has to do and his main clue is his lover, Isabelle, a character that I loved so very very much who is pregnant with their child.
This novel can be dizzying sometimes with all of what it presents, but never in a bad way. Carroll takes us through life and death and everywhere in between with an amazing cast of characters and constant twists and turns, yet it always always always remains such a very personal and emotional story. I'm learning that he's very good at that. I don't even know where to go next with Carroll! I have his book The Ghost in Love on audio, so maybe I'll listen to another book of his...or maybe I'll read The Voice of Our Shadow, a book of his that I've wanted to read for years every since Ana reviewed it way back in the day...we shall see!
P.S....I noticed that this book is on sale on Amazon right now for $5.58 for the paperback! Bargain price! You should get it...
6 comments:
Oh, dooo read The Voice of Our Shadow! White Apples was my very first Carroll, and I remember being completely in love with it for the first two thirds or so and then becoming really frustrated with the direction the story took. But I remember nothing about the actual plot and have no clue why I felt the way I did anymore :P (This was all pre-blogging so I can't even read my post to refresh my memory). Time for a reread, maybe.
You should read GLASS SOUP next because it is the sequel to WHITE APPLES and continues the story of Vincent, Isabelle and Anjo.
Astrid B.
Well, I would get it but I've already taken something on the order of a 12-15 boxes of books to the new house and have hardly even begun to crack the surface. Perhaps I have more than I realized. Hard to believe.
Love the new profile pic!
I'm feeling the pressure, especially because Carroll is out on audio and because Gaiman is backing him.
I need to check Jonathan Carroll out. I have a couple books by him, but have never read them!
I have a copy of this on the basement shelves. Its been far too long since I've read any of Carroll's work.
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