Book number 3 is The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas published by Harcourt Books. and like the others that i've posted reviews of, its available from amazon in paperback. also available at play.com in paperback I'm going to tell you as I start this review, That I loved this book, from cover to cover it was great, Scarlett Thomas has not only wrote an incredibly individual book, but one that is as original and imaginative as anything written by c.s lewis or Roald Dahl.
The Story follows Ariel Manto as she discovers some incredibly rare books that she's been searching for to help her with her PhD, These books are not only rare but very valuble. one of the books is so rare that one of the only copies are kept in a safe locked away from prying eyes. and why that is becomes apparent later on in the book,
The thing is though other than being rare and valuble one of the books The end of Mr Y, is said to be cursed and anyone that reads is has been found dead afterwards.
as you follow Ariel through the book in search of holy water and carbo vegetabilis. (something which was also in Scarlett Thomas's book which went before this Popco)After reading about a recipy in one of the rare books that she finds in a local 2nd hand book shop, A recipy which at least according to the book she's bought has the ability to take her in to the troposphere. A place where everyones conciousness is recorded, a place where not only is it recorded but it makes it possible not only to jump from conciousness to conciousness but through time as anyone that person comes in contact with or has been in contact with's conciousness is close enough to jump in to the problem's start when she tries to get back and finds that time isnt the same in the troposphere as it is normally, so when she's been in there for an hour, maybe 10 hours have passed in the real world.
Im not going to say that this book with its contents is going to be a good read for everyone, its not. Its definatly a marmite book, your going to love it or hate its mix of, conciousness invasion's, time travel, drug taking and quantum physics with a little post-modernist and deconstructionist theory thrown in for a good mix,
Ultimately though its the love story of a lonely PhD student -Ariel Manto meeting someone and giving up everything to be with someone she loves, which she couldnt have done with out the aid of the topic of her PhD, -the 19th century writter Thomas Lumas.
If im honest im finding it hard to put into words, what the book feels like to read, Its more like philosopy, than a love story. But equally its more like the Matrix and Highlander, rather than a plodding philosopy text book,
if you liked the Matrix, The Da Vinci Code, Highlander and Speed (the first one not the one on the boat which wasnt very good) then you'd like this book, infact you'd not only like it, You'd LOVE it
