Weaveworld by Clive Barker Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Weaveworld
Book Review: Absolutely Stunning.
Summary: 5 Stars
It had taken me a month to read this book and I happen to be a very fast reader. There was so much detail and description that I had to try and take it all in. Reading this is very similar to observing the weave that Barker describes so eloquently in the pages of this book. On my cover, it says "An Epic of the Imagination." And that, indeed, is.
The plot was intricate, matching the idea of a weave. It incorporated so many things that I love, mythology, religion and a complex plot. The language is evocative and poetic but also very stripped and common-place at the same time. The characters were very intriguing and realistic and each one was symbolic.
My favorite character out of the bunch was not a hero but rather a villain. I happened to adore the character of Immacolata. She was so cold and so vicious. She was a complete original and I happen to love it.
So overall, a rather engaging read and a masterpiece. It may even be one of my favorite novels but most definately, the best read I had all year.
Book Review: Amazing Book
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me first start out by saying I am not much of a reader. This is the second longest book I have ever read next to Gone with the Wind. With that said, I thought this book was amazing. I started out reading the first 120 or so pages over a month period. Once my semester ended, I decided to put forth a little more effort, and thats when this book captivated me. I knocked off the final 500 or so pages in about a week. There are three different "books" in this one book, but they are actually just "intermissions" of the same book. After each one ended, I feared the next one would not live up to the previous one, but it did every time. This is easily my favorite book of all time (replacing the aforementioned Gone with the Wind). Definitely buy this book.Book Review: An excellent read
Summary: 4 Stars
Oh my, what a read. What an exhausting journey.
I read this book filled with magic and horror, hope and lack of hope..
and the always menacing Scourge, and felt all of these things.
Suzanne carries the strength of mankind, and the magic of her grandmother.
Calhoun is sincerity personified. And that is just the beginning, or would be if there was a beginning. Or for that matter and end.
I think this was the story of what we each carry within ourselves. And the fear of losing it. I was left feeling lonely, bereft and yet hopeful. Is that possible? Is anything impossible? The story is also a reminder that no one of us can stand alone.
Book Review: Barker fans should love this, others may find it falls short
Summary: 3 Stars
There is no denying that Clive Barker is a creative man. "Weaveworld" is a testament to that. He creates a mythology peopled with an array of strange and bizarre creatures, a land built of every fantasy cliché but never itself feeling clichéd, and a tale full of inventive twists and turns.Yet for all that, for all the book's burning creativity, "Weaveworld" too often fails to captivate, too often uses what feel like cheap plot twists to keep the reader moving along, and too often drags down to a near halt to make it a must read.
The plot hinges around a carpet in which is hidden a mystical land. The carpet, and the land, are hunted by many, including the Seerkind, Barker's twisted take on the folk of fairy tales. A pair of seemingly innocent bystanders fend off close call after close call in an effort to keep the carpet out of the wrong hands - and even venture into the wondrous world itself. The idea is fabulous and the characters unique and interesting.
Unfortunately, "Weaveworld" feels more like a series of interconnected novellas than an epic novel. The plot surges forward with a gripping buildup and a series of several thrilling climaxes, only to slow to a grinding halt. Then the process starts all over again. This takes place several times in just the few hundred pages. It's maddening.
It's also unfortunate. Barker is a good writer, better than one would expect if all they know of him is "Hellraiser." His prose isn't bad at all, his ability to let a scene unfold very good, and he can send shivers down a reader's spine at will. He mixes horror and fantasy well. But no matter how much the readers wants them to, in "Weaveworld," the pieces fail to come together.
There is enough here to like that some readers will find great enjoyment in the book - it's by no means bad, and has plenty of fresh ideas - but my own inability to really get captured by "Weaveworld" makes it impossible to recommend. If you're already a Barker fan, however, you'll probably want to read this. It's another example of his twisted and unique imagination.
Book Review: Beautifully Horrific
Summary: 5 Stars
Is it possible for something to be beautiful and horrific at the same time?
Well, it is - if Barker's fantasy horror Weaveworld is anything to go by.
The world in the Fugue is wonderfully crafted, with believable characters in the most bizarre situations. Less viceral than The Damnation Game, this book is nothing short of spellbinding. High time that someone gifted made a film of this. Until then, make the effort and read it.