Seth Combs-Henry

Self-indulgent, overpraised and hardly (a) novel

Revisado: 02-19-25

Where can I possibly start?

Like many, I was initially skeptical, even dismissive, of Miranda July’s latest foray into fiction. Sure, I have enjoyed some of her films even while finding much of her visual art to be unexceptional and derivative. Still, it’s commendable to see someone so seemingly unafraid to step out of their assigned lane and try their hand at and within different artistic mediums. Few can pull off such a multidisciplinary feat and it’s certainly admirable to witness an artist following their instincts.

Much like July’s previous stories, novels and forays into the written word, I certainly would have been content to ignore “All Fours” as well. A few months after its release—and multiple messages, texts and DMs from friends inquiring as to whether I’d read it—it was becoming increasingly clear that this was a novel that would be difficult to dismiss. There was just too much buzz, too much pomp, and while these messages offered seemingly mixed reviews, it was clear that it was a book that people craved to discuss with others.

And so, reluctant to purchase the book for the reasons listed above and a library hold list that would have seen me waiting almost a year to read the book, I apprehensively used one of my credits to download the book. Upon finishing, my first instinct was to google “can I return a book on Audible.” My second instinct was to write this review. I’ll do my best to break down my gripes as concisely as possible (no guarantees) and using the three rating metrics provided for reviews.

Performance:

Most of the time, if a book is read by the author themselves, it offers a unique window into how the book is meant to be read. To put it another way, when a reader sees the words on the page, both exposition and dialogue can often be interpreted with an unintended tone or cadence. Unserious or sarcastic lines of dialogue can be read as serious, and subtle humor can get lost in the lines.

So the fact that July herself is reading her own story SHOULD offer the reader an accurate portrayal into how the characters are speaking and the narrator’s own inner dialogue, especially since the book is written in first- and second-person.

That is not the case here. What we have instead is a dispassionate droll of a delivery; the audiobook equivalent of an Ambien-induced slumber, sometimes punctuated by whiney fits of emotion when the narrator is having one of her many self-afflicted crises. It’s enough to make the reader/listener yearn for a professional voice actor. And while it’s hard to say that any actor could have saved the overall story, there is something to be said for experiencing a book along with someone a bit more objective.

Story:

If you’ve made it this far into this review, chances are you’re already familiar with the gist of this book. Putting aside the plodding plot and the inane attempts at Dorothy Parker-esque wittiness, July has created an intriguing if not utterly disdainful protagonist that will leave the reader confounded, annoyed, and, in the case of this reader, yelling “GIRL, STOP!!” at both the character and her creator. There is nothing profound or special about this character (the fact that she is unnamed almost certainly adds to the pretense) and anyone even peripherally familiar with July’s life and career will almost certainly see this novel as nothing more than a cleverly marketed attempt at auto-fiction.

That being said, the first half of the book (the part that takes place in the hotel where the character has what can only be described as an emotional affair, peppered in with explicit fantasies and some occasional heavy petting), does move at an enjoyable pace only to have it nosedive in the second half where our unnamed character subjects the reader to retreaded traumas (most were already covered in the first half) and cringe-inducing behavior that will leave the reader slapping their forehead and questioning their own life decisions (read: the decision to read this book in the first place).

And let’s not forget the utterly useless, confoundedly one-dimensional supporting characters. There’s absolutely no sense to what makes the brotastic object of the protagonist’s affection so appealing, nor is there any depth or substance to the husband character other than the fact that he is there to foil this anticipated erotic journey. And who the hell is this horrible best friend, with her random and topical information about different cultures and science facts that sound as if they were cut-and-pasted from Wikipedia and YouTube dives? She serves no purpose other than to provide the narrator (and the reader) with some random facts that aren’t relevant and help to excuse the protagonist’s unhinged behavior.

The story is, in essence, the literary equivalent of a multi-vehicle pile up, the reader serving as the frustrated driver inching ever-forward to finally bear witness to this fiery mess of a “character.” I suppose one could make the argument that the reading of a novel is the most respectable form of voyeurism, but playing looky-loo to July’s clearly auto-fictionalized “character” will have roughly the same internal outcome for the reader as the aforementioned traffic accident. That is, we are left feeling annoyed, apathetic and ashamed at our guttural instinct to glance in hopes of spotting blood on the asphalt.

Overall:

All in all, I do understand why this book received so much attention and buzz. I also concede that, as a man (albeit a queer man), this story just might not be for me. Still, there’s something to be said for a writer who can transcend and traverse subject matter, and to spin it in such a way that it can be relatable to any reader. Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other” is a modern classic not only for it’s artful, experimental style, but also because Evaristo managed to make her characters relatable, even frustratingly so, and still managed to do so even if the reader had nothing in common with them.

I can also agree, both in spirit and in practice, that representation matters; that it’s nice to see novels devoted to exploring the emotions that come with midlife crises and from the perspective of women, but I can also feel that these attempts are ultimately vapid when they’re presented in such a solipsistic, elitist, affluent, and, yes, well-meaning white perspective.

There are books that enrage you for all the right reasons and in all the right ways and with all the right moves. This is not one of them. It is an exercise in driveled and verbose egotism from an artist with clearly a lot to say, but who lacks the ability to create something wholly substantial in any medium.

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Masterful story and brilliant narration

Revisado: 05-11-24

I enjoyed Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut (“Olga Dies Dreaming”) so I was excited to see a sophomore novel so soon after the first. Still, I worried that the novel, in a rush to release it while the buzz around the author was still palpable, would be half cooked. Boy, was a wrong. It is a stunning story that not only speaks to our times, but dives deep into issues of representation and erasure without ever feeling preachy or heavy-handed. It is engrossing, well-paced, sometimes fantastical, and deserves every accolade and more.

Having looked at some of the other, more negative reviews of this audiobook, it seems many of them take issue with the performer reading the sections of the book narrated by the titular character. I found her parts to be performed with a sincere forcefulness and passion that was missing from the other narrators. Yes, it can be jarring, but it’s also precisely what the part called for. This is a character who is often speaking from the afterlife and one who has had to watch the art world move on from her art while her abuser continues to produce work, some of which are based on her ideas. Of course she would be angry, and so I felt the actor’s performance was warranted.

I can’t recommend this book enough. Xochitl Gonzalez has proved herself with this one to be one of the best storytellers working today.

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A great story but not in audiobook format

Revisado: 04-07-24

I can’t help but agree with some of the negative reviews of this book. Yes, it’s a bit of a slog and there are many aspects of it that seem to go nowhere and plot points that remain unresolved. However, I also think that this is a book that doesn’t lend itself well to the audiobook format. I was lucky that I was also able to get the book from the library and ended up going back and forth between the audio and print formats. The latter was much more fulfilling and I was able to pick up some of the more subtle nuances that the audio format just doesn’t provide. The narrator just isn’t particularly adept at storytelling leaning more into just a dry delivery with no change in cadence or energy. So yes, while I’d recommend the book, I’d also insist that the reader pick up an actual copy of the book for a much more fulfilling experience.

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Very good story, but best read the old-fashioned way

Revisado: 03-18-24

A beautiful tale of multi-decade friendships that examines the complex feelings that come with being a refugee unable to return home. However, I can’t help but feel as if I would have enjoyed it a lot more had the author not read it himself. I understand that some prefer this format, as it can give the listener a sense of how the author intends the words to be heard. In this case, it’s often difficult to discern who is speaking when especially since the author doesn’t attempt to change his voice at all when another character is speaking. So while the story of oftentimes brilliant, I can’t help but think it would have been much more fulfilling to actually read it in book format.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Great story and concept, but a bit difficult to keep track of all the characters

Revisado: 06-15-23

A rather clever and touching update on “The Running Man” concept where prisoners are forced to fight to the death in gladiator-style competitions. What make this such a fantastic story is the depth in which the author explores the characters, providing each with their own inner dialogues in which they wrestle with not only their pasts, but what they’re being forced to do. There is a lot of world-building here and the multiple perspectives provide a sense of the disturbing near-future these prisoners are attempting to navigate. It’s discomforting to recognize this world, as if we’re not that far from these types of blood sports and, even more concerning, that the types of for-profit methods of incarceration and “neo-slavery” methods of labor are already part of the U.S. penitentiary system. It’s an affecting book and one that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat while also having them contemplate their own a complacency in the face of these forms of punishment. However, while the multiple narrators were all excellent, I would recommend that anyone interested in this book pick up a physical copy. It will be much easier to keep track of the myriad multiple characters and perspectives. Other than that, I’d highly recommend this book.

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Great story, a little too long

Revisado: 12-28-22

One criticism I kept seeing of this book was that the sound mixing was off. What these reviewers are referring to are the author’s footnotes. These show up in the book as asterisked notes that the reader has to flip to the back of the book to learn more. I can see how presenting this in audio format might be tricky. Some of the footnotes are helpful historical or referential facts, while some are not needed at all. Overall, they could have not included some and edited others, but I don’t think it took away from the overall experience of listening to the book.

As for the book itself, it was a fantastic premise and I’d highly recommend this book to anyone with a love of words and languages. It should also appeal to anyone looking for an anti-colonial story that is based in reality and historical events, but with elements of magical realism. My only criticism is that the book is heavy on exposition that doesn’t seem to be important and inevitably weighs down the overall narrative. It’s a heavy, epic novel that could have been much shorter in my opinion. It’s a minor criticism though and I’d still recommend the book to anyone who has some patience and who believes in the magical powers of words.

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A classic story with excellent performances

Revisado: 01-25-22

“Dracula” was one of my favorite books when I was a kid and this felt more like a radio play than an audiobook. Curry and especially Cumming, along with the rest of the cast, bring weight and purpose to Stoker’s words. You can tell they really invested themselves in the parts and it made the more difficult passages easier to decipher. It’s a free download but it’s one that I would have paid for.

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A story that will linger for weeks

Revisado: 01-17-22

Like many, I was a huge fan of of Doerr’s previous novel. Like that one, this one goes back and forth between characters, but this one also jumps centuries and locations to tell a story that is, at its core, a love letter to the people who keep stories alive. I will say that it’s a bit of a slow burn and can get confusing at times. There were times where I certainly thought to myself “where is this all going?” but I’m so pleased I stuck with it. The performances are excellent although if someone asked I’d probably recommend that they read the physical copy. There’s a lot of nuance from the Ancient Greek that’s discussed in the book that gets lost in an audiobook format. But that’s a minor criticism. Anyone looking for a beautiful, often heartbreaking, but always enthralling story should definitely buy this. Just take your time with it.

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Takes a while, but worth it

Revisado: 01-05-22

I'm glad I didn't listen to the other review posted about this book. I understand where they're coming from, but I feel like they gave up too soon. I did find this novel to be a little slow and meandering at times. There just isn't anything particularly poignant about the story at first. It somehow manages to be extremely descriptive but lacks any poeticism when it comes to those descriptions. A lot of it reads like a day in the life of a teenager, his mother, his strange friend and his father. It’s matter-of-fact to the point of annoyance without any real sense of where this is all leading.

However, and it’s a big however, if the reader sticks with it they will be rewarded with a tender page-turner (or in this case, a can’t-stop-listener?) about a young man doing his best to become a good person but who is consistently beaten down by outside forces. It's a story that requires patience and a good amount of stick-to-itiveness, but I left the experience feeling truly fulfilled and wanting to read Lish's previous novel.

I understand that a lot of people will want to give up after a few hours, but I think what Lish was trying to do was really build the characters. It's something that's missing in a lot of current fiction; a plot that is driven, but we don't ultimately know what drives the character. Weeks after I finished this book, I'm still feeling all kinds of things about this book and all of them are positive.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Meh.

Revisado: 12-18-21

While I appreciate Davidson’s attention to detail when it comes to the intricacies of the logging and timber industries, the story itself just wasn’t that interesting. By the end, I couldn’t help but think the book could have been significantly shorter. She spends a lot of time on unnecessary exposition and subplots that aren’t important to the overall narrative. What’s more, the chapters told from the perspective of the little boy felt forced. There are two of three twists toward the end of the book and I’d say two of them felt unearned and uninspired. Still, there is something to be said for the performers. They save what would otherwise be a drab story. If I had picked up the actual physical book, I’m not sure I would have finished it. So yeah, it’s not a bad book per se. I recommended it to a friend who grew up in the region and was familiar with the logging vs. environmentalism outlooks. But I wouldn’t recommend it to a casual reader who was looking for a compelling or thought-provoking read.

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