This style of writing was really confusing for me at first. It is hard to determine what is going on in the story without sufficient information given. However, as I got used the skipping-back-and-forth, I realized that there is a key skill we have to develop in order to read Ondaatje's novel--identifying the point of shifting. Once we find out that the setting has changed, we then look for the specific time and place of the scene. Thus, the reading becomes much easier and a more enjoyable experience.
I completely agree, the style is definitely a breath of fresh air. However, I must say that it was quite confusing for me at first, because everything seemed to be all over the place. But like you said, it gets really interesting, and I think especially around chapters 6-7, the whole plot really get fleshed out and really becomes concrete. Hope that gives you some motivation to continue reading :D.
ReplyDeleteThx Michael :D. I definitely agree that it gets better, and I am finding this writing style interesting as well.
ReplyDeleteI loved the style of this writing,too. However, it had bits of dryness and intensity which kept me from reading a lot at once. Also, I was very confused by the narration. For some sections, I just had to read it over again and compare with the other passages to figure out the speaker. This took me a lot of time...T^T
ReplyDeleteIt is nice that you can interpret the point of view accurately. Apparently, it is a special style of writing, and I am getting interested in this novel by reading your paragraph. This could be a new style that we can look at in the future,seems like you have already learn a lot from the novel.
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