Year in Reading

A Year in Reading: Pinky’s Paperhaus

By posted at 6:27 pm on December 7, 2006 3

Carolyn aka Pinky has, of late, been toiling away at — while also giving us the play by play on — the MFA program she started this fall, but she found a moment amidst the semester-end crush to send us a note about the best book she read this year:

coverI’ll leave it to others to sing the obvious praises of Richard Powers, Thomas Pynchon and Mark Danielewski. For me, the best surprise was the excellent, gripping The Open Curtain by Brian Evensen.

I was entirely blown away by The Open Curtain. I didn’t know what to expect from a horror book set in the Mormon community in Utah; what I got was a brilliant narrative that’s impossible to put down. As the narrator’s reliability begins to become a question, the story deepens into issues of identity and desire. It’s an incredible, marvelous writerly feat. Plus it’s the first book since Nancy Drew to get me bouncing on my bed, literally shouting at the girl in peril.

Thanks Carolyn!

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3 Responses to “A Year in Reading: Pinky’s Paperhaus”

  1. Anonymous
    at 8:38 am on December 8, 2006

    I'm intrigued by this recommendation and ask- if an author is capable of becoming a convincing character in the story itself (by garnering their own role), is this a true true indicator of writing skill?

    I think it is! but would be interested in hearing other views.

    McGrrrr

  2. Matthew Tiffany
    at 10:53 am on December 8, 2006

    I agree- great book. Saw Evenson read from it last night, will write it up at my own site – he did a very nice job. One of my favorite reads of the year as well -

  3. aaron
    at 12:46 pm on December 8, 2006

    I totally agree, as you probably know by our routes already crossing once or twise in our ravings for this book. Totally my book of the year.

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