Book Log #10: Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, by Cory Doctorow

[annathepiper]

Let me tell you about what sold me on the impulse buy of Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, Cory Doctorow's latest and the first thing I've ever read by him:

First, the snippet of hook on the front that said "A miraculous novel of secrets, lies, magic--and Internet connectivity."

Second, the gorgeous cover art of a girl with wings.

Third and most importantly, the blurb on the back, which, among other things, tells the reader about a protagonist whose father is a mountain, whose mother is a washing machine, and who numbers among his brothers a set of Russian nesting dolls. It's that last bit in particular that made me go "Excuse me?" and have to pick up the book. Because I had to know exactly how such a protagonist could exist, and what story could be told about him. The story I got was arguably one of the strangest things I've read in a while, and every last word of it was a pleasure.

And I'm not going to say a damned word about the plot, because really, y'all should experience it for yourselves. Be prepared to strike a sort of Zen balance between paying hard attention to the story--you have to, given its non-linearity and how the protagonist and his brothers change names at random, sometimes in the same paragraph--and not over-analyzing what's going on.

More than that, you don't really need to know going in. You just need to know that this story of the son of a mountain and a washing machine, with a hefty side helping of Internet geekery, works. Go read it. For free, even, if you want to download the ebook, but this is a book well worth buying off the shelves. Four stars.

Comments

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

SCTT,SLT is the 2nd or 3rd book of his I've read. I read it mostly because I wanted to be sure I was giving him a fair shake before being certain that his books really are not for me. Man, they are really not for me. Apparently I've got a surreality burnout level or something.

[annathepiper]

I have only a sample set of one to deal with, but yeah, this one was definitely surreal. ;) I don't know if I'd always be in the mood for it.

[cafiorello.livejournal.com]

I find Doctorow hit or miss. The surreal thing might not work for me, but I'll give the e-version a try....

Cathy

[annathepiper]

Indeed, if surrealism is not one's cup of tea, this is not the book to read. It worked for me, though. But then, I've been in a strong mood of reading stuff outside my normal fare, and this was definitely that. ;)

[smeehrrr.livejournal.com]

Purchased based on your recommendation.

[annathepiper]

Cool! I hope you enjoy it. :)

[avram]

What Cory Doctorow's novels are about:

• Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom -- Post-scarcity economics, resurrection technology, love and betrayal, Disneyworld, wireless networking.
• Eastern Standard Tribe -- Time-zone-based cultural groups, traffic jams, love and betrayal, peer-to-peer music sharing, wireless networking.
• Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town -- Toronto, magical realism, love, regrowth, outsider status, family, betrayal, wireless networking.
• Little Brother -- Privacy, authority, torture, civil rights, love, games, nerdy fun, wireless networking.

[annathepiper]

So what you're saying is, he really loves him some wireless networking. ;)