I would however caution readers to avoid the menu option below it "Request librarian visit". If fans of the novel are ever near the new library at 1st and 22nd, formerly my house, drop by and say hello. I'm in the tent on the front lawn.
OK that's my contribution to the excellent amazon reviews for this book.
If you love a little weirdness, this novel is the place to soak in a whole tub of it. It's incredibly clever, funny, and even sweet in parts. But you've really got to be happy wallowing around in quirky sentences and getting sidetracked into descriptions of strange events without much plot progress.
This would have been a five star book if the plot had excited me more and helped turn the pages. As it was I had to be content with the beautifully weird world-building. I think this is actually the sci-fi version of literary fiction that is more about the beautiful prose than actually telling a story.
In defence of the authors I think the actual plot arc is very good, and they do an excellent job of introducing the world to people who haven't listened to the podcast. But there's a significant challenge in introducing tension and building a climax in a world where life-threatening danger and horror-movie themes are simply a part of day-to-day life. What is plot tension, and what is just another crazy Night Vale quirk that will be dismissed out of hand?
Some reviewers will tell you that if you haven't listened to the podcast you won't enjoy the book. This is untrue, I liked the book and hadn't listened to the podcast, but I love weirdness. You'll definitely miss some of the subtlety and nods to the podcast episodes.
Now I'm done with the book I started listening and I'm a few episodes into the podcast. I like it, but I'm not sure I love it. Cecil is actually much more deadpan than I imagined, which rubs me the wrong way. I read the novel imagining a fairly normal radio demeanor, just with crazy content.
I'll leave you with some of my favourite quotes:
It also houses a boy, not quite a man. He’s fifteen. You know how it is. Imagine a fifteen-year-old boy. Nope. That was not right at all. Try again. No. No. Okay, stop.
Most people in Night Vale get by with a cobbled-together framework of lies and assumptions and conspiracy theories. Diane was like most people. Most people are.
The Night Vale PTA released a statement today saying that if the School Board could not promise to prevent children from learning about dangerous activities like drug use and library science during recess periods, they would be blocking all school entrances with their bodies. They pulled hundreds of bodies out from trucks, saying, “We own all of these bodies and we will not hesitate to use them to create great flesh barricades if that is what it takes to prevent our children from learning.”
“You develop a taste for it, like you do with scotch whiskey, or cilantro, or a salt lick.”
She drove home and grabbed the things she would need to check out a book: strong rope and a grappling hook, a compass, a flare gun, matches and a can of hair spray, a sharpened wooden spear, and, of course, her library card.
Having trouble sleeping? Are you awake at all hours? Do birds live in you? Are you crawling with insects? Is your skin jagged and hard? Are you covered in leaves and gently shaking in the gentle breeze? You sound like a tree. You are perfectly healthy.4 stars.
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