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Davyne DeSye's Reviews > Innocence
Innocence
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EDIT/UPDATE: It ought to tell you something about how much this book wormed its way into my mind that I had to read it again, less than six months after reading it the first time.
This time, already knowing the story, I had the pleasure of being able to focus more on the author's craft, to appreciate the foreshadowing, to read and re-read passages for the sheer pleasure of how the words were put together and the images elicited. But -- wow, still a story that came at me from a direction I wasn't expecting and is sticking with me for reasons I can't fully explain...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Surprising, lyrical, terrifying and heartwarming�
This book was nothing that I was expecting. I’m not even sure I know how to go about writing a review.
While on its surface this is an interesting story and contains some really beautiful writing, it is the allegory of good versus evil that made this book a real winner for me. The glimpses of evil that Koontz gave were thankfully short-lived but made me shudder � I don’t want to believe evil is so abundant. The time I spent in the mind and heart of Addison were a balm to me and an inspiration. For me, this book was a paean to hope, love, beauty, optimism, honor, and yes, innocence.
In the story, Addison must hide from the world. (In the beginning, I thought this would be a beauty-and-the-beast story, but it wasn’t.) He must hide from the world because one look at his face inspires hatred and murderous rage. By sheer happenstance, he meets a girl, Gwyneth, with severe social phobia. They are an odd but perfect couple, she agreeing never to look at his face, and he agreeing not to approach her too closely and never to touch her. Together, they must flee an evil man determined to kill Gwyneth and anyone close to her.
Quite honestly, I could not imagine how the author would convince me that everyone’s reaction to Addison would be as horrible as it was. What could inspire such hatred and rage? The answer, to my mind, was perfect and heartbreakingly understandable.
I’m giving this book five stars � a rating I usually save for books I will likely read again. In this case, I’m not sure that I will read it again, but I’m not sure I need to. Bits and pieces of this book are inside me forever. What more can I say?
This time, already knowing the story, I had the pleasure of being able to focus more on the author's craft, to appreciate the foreshadowing, to read and re-read passages for the sheer pleasure of how the words were put together and the images elicited. But -- wow, still a story that came at me from a direction I wasn't expecting and is sticking with me for reasons I can't fully explain...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Surprising, lyrical, terrifying and heartwarming�
This book was nothing that I was expecting. I’m not even sure I know how to go about writing a review.
While on its surface this is an interesting story and contains some really beautiful writing, it is the allegory of good versus evil that made this book a real winner for me. The glimpses of evil that Koontz gave were thankfully short-lived but made me shudder � I don’t want to believe evil is so abundant. The time I spent in the mind and heart of Addison were a balm to me and an inspiration. For me, this book was a paean to hope, love, beauty, optimism, honor, and yes, innocence.
In the story, Addison must hide from the world. (In the beginning, I thought this would be a beauty-and-the-beast story, but it wasn’t.) He must hide from the world because one look at his face inspires hatred and murderous rage. By sheer happenstance, he meets a girl, Gwyneth, with severe social phobia. They are an odd but perfect couple, she agreeing never to look at his face, and he agreeing not to approach her too closely and never to touch her. Together, they must flee an evil man determined to kill Gwyneth and anyone close to her.
Quite honestly, I could not imagine how the author would convince me that everyone’s reaction to Addison would be as horrible as it was. What could inspire such hatred and rage? The answer, to my mind, was perfect and heartbreakingly understandable.
I’m giving this book five stars � a rating I usually save for books I will likely read again. In this case, I’m not sure that I will read it again, but I’m not sure I need to. Bits and pieces of this book are inside me forever. What more can I say?
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Innocence.
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Reading Progress
March 13, 2018
–
Started Reading
March 13, 2018
– Shelved
March 19, 2018
–
Finished Reading
July 18, 2018
–
Started Reading
July 22, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Bobby
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rated it 5 stars
Mar 20, 2018 04:19PM
Great review for a great book. Such a beautiful story, with an allegory masking a deeper allegory. The language and phrasing was lovely, their meaning so heartrending at times. I also felt that as wonderful as it is, which might be Koontz's greatest overall work (he lists it in his top 7 favorites) it's something I'll not reread again either. My reason is the same, in that it stays with you forever, because not only the surface story resonates, but the allegory imbeds itself in your heart and soul, so that you never forget it. No need to revisit what is with you every day from the moment you turn the final page. :-)
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Couldn't agree more, Bobby. Well said! :) I literally felt at a loss for words in trying to write this review...
Davyne wrote: "Couldn't agree more, Bobby. Well said! :) I literally felt at a loss for words in trying to write this review..."I know what you mean. I literally could find no way to review and give an impression of how staggeringly lovely it is without dealing with the allegorical aspects, which affected the narrative, and why certain things happened. If ever a book was unique, it's this one, and never forgotten. A shame so many missed everything that made this book so profoundly beautiful. I felt like I read an entirely different book than they did...
Definitely! All I could think reading some of the reviews was... really? That's all you got out of this?
Davyne wrote: "Definitely! All I could think reading some of the reviews was... really? That's all you got out of this?"Yep, entirely missing the hauntingly beautiful point does not begin to cover it.
I'm glad I kept it, because though I hadn't planned on re-reading it either, the more time passes the more inclined I am to do so eventually. Such staggeringly beautiful stuff! :-)
Davyne wrote: "I'm with you. Having read it twice in less than six months, I can say -- positively -- that I'll be reading it again and again. Even now, I can't get this book out of my mind. Infectious... in all ..."One of the interesting asides to this book, is how Koontz came up with it. He usually plans, thinks about a story, has it ferment, does research, all that stuff. He'd never had a story come to him in a dream, as some writers say they do. But he dreamed this entire story one night, said he woke up and had the entire story, because it had been his dream. Considering what it's about, its message, how beautiful it is, it gives one pause.
Davyne wrote: "Agreed! What a lovely dream! (I dreamed the beginning of Carapace -- not the whole book -- but it wasn't what I'd call a lovely dream. Good things came of it though...) :)"Yes, that wouldn't be a particularly cozy dream with Carapace. LOL Wonderful science fiction read though, Carapace. Koontz said he dreamed the entire story of Innocence one night, not just an impression or idea, the whole enchilada, just woke up and had it all, surprising him. Then he just wrote it, put it to paper. Says it's the only time that has ever happened to him.
