"The House of Rumour" has been called a novel in stories. How does this particular structure effect how a book unfolds? Have you read other novels in stories? (e.g. Jennifer Egan's "A Visit From the Goon Squad")
Created: 04/19/13
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"The House of Rumour" has been called a novel in stories. How does this particular structure effect how a book unfolds? Have you read other novels in stories? (e.g. Jennifer Egan's "A Visit From the Goon Squad")
Join Date: 04/22/11
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Join Date: 01/12/12
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I've read Elizabeth Strout's 'Olive Kitteridge,' which is a wonderful example of how to do this sort of fiction, maintaining continuity. I enjoy this method of story-telling. It's like the best of both worlds, between short stories and the novel. Each story could stand alone but the book as a whole benefits from a string of them put together.
Join Date: 03/07/13
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Join Date: 06/13/11
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I enjoy stories that are interconnected by threads of information or events. Have not quite finished reading this novel because I find that I really have to concentrate on the language. It is very well written, a rather sophisticated book.
Join Date: 06/18/12
Posts: 49
I like the use of connected stories in this book. I think it is interesting to hear all of the different takes that people have and see how all of these different lives are affected by events. I do think it also requires you to really pay attention to what is going on and remember what different characters were up to.
Join Date: 10/20/10
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Like lisag, I've read and enjoyed "Olive Kitterridge." Oddly, "The House of Rumour" didn't strike me as a novel in stories until I read this question. As I was reading, I saw each section as a different strand in a tapestry rather than a stand-alone piece.
Join Date: 11/28/11
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In the first third of the book, I thought the style got in the way a little bit, since there didn't seem to be much headway in character development or plot. However, once I got into it and the strands started to weave together, I really loved it. I liked how there were so many levels of reference. Did anyone notice how, in the chapter recounting Larry's career (the Tower), the description of the book "The Attendant" is actually sort of describing this book? I like the sentence that describes how the book "meanders aimlessly in its surviving 436-page draft, though it features several strong supporting characters..."And he couldn't get it published! Funny.
Join Date: 05/14/11
Posts: 119
This connected stories layout reminded me of Cloud Atlas. I agree with Juliet F that the description of the book, The Attendant, "meanders aimlessly " and that it couldn't get published was very funny.
Join Date: 10/13/11
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Join Date: 04/25/11
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Being one who generally prefers a book to roll out in a linear fashion, this book proved to be very challenging for me. I am that rare person who did not like Olive Kittridge or Cloud Atlas for that very reason.
Join Date: 06/16/11
Posts: 410
This style is definitely not my cup of tea and every time I encounter it I have to sort of force myself to keep going. Like Olive Kitteridge, it will probably stick in my mind longer than a lot of the easier books I have read. When you have a strictly linear flow in a single place or time it is enough like life to be sort of easy but this type of book does make one stretch the old mind a bit and work a little harder. I find that it is probably a good thing for this ageing brain of mine.
Join Date: 05/31/11
Posts: 166
In the case of 'House of Rumours', it made the book very disjointed. This may be due to the authors style rather than the story itself. Some novels of connected stories work very well and flow beautifully. This one did not.
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