Most helpful customer reviews
|
|
5.0 out of 5 stars
My first Graham Joyce but not my last!, April 1 2004
I loved this odd book and found it very difficult to put down. It's a character driven coming of age story about three young boys growing up in apparent normalcy. But underneath the veneer of normalcy simmers unexpected moments of darkness and danger. As the boy's deal with life's many pitfalls -- growing up too smart, too dumb, too mediocre -- lurking in the shadows is a vicious tooth fairy which only one of the boy's (Sam) can see. This tooth fairy is not the sweet version of childhood dreams but a nightmarish razor toothed, potty mouthed, mischievous apparition and it's not at all pleased that Sam can see it. As Sam grows, the tooth fairy continues to show up unexpectedly and begins to change its form, becoming a chilling sexual thing that teases and taunts and awakens odd feelings in Sam. Despite Sam's fear of the tooth fairy the two have a weird sort of connection. This was most definitely a book that was anything but the "same-old, same-old" and I never could figure out quite where it was going next which is what I enjoyed so much about the book. The blend of the ordinary and the "weird" was seamless. Sam was a well developed, realistic character and watching him mature and grow was fascinating and I'm still pondering over the question "was it all in his imagination?" I'd like to think
it wasn't. Overall a very creepy, touching, and perfectly bizarre book.
|
|
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
The brilliant and the bizarre, Jan 15 2004
I read this book in a couple of days over christmas. Many books I buy, I don't get past the first chapter, but not this one. The action dragged me in, and Joyce's prose flows freely on the page. I thought the imagination behind the Tooth Fairy was vivid and poignant. The tooth fairy was as troubled a soul, as the three boys growing up in this tale. Sam, Clive, and Terry where great characters. There were some parts of this book that I couldn't get into, the nightmare interceptor, the mad inventor, and an incident involving a razor blade and an orange. Some of these elements were introduced into the plot, but not resolved to my satisfaction. However, the relationship that develops between the Tooth Fairy and Sam, is something that I can read over and over again, and enjoy it each time.
|
|
|
1.0 out of 5 stars
Like Drinking vinegar spiked with Sewage Water, Jan 4 2004
As I only have so many hours in which to consume good quality writing, I am sad to say that some of that time was spent in reading this book. I didn't even finish it. 10 full chapters then I started to speed read it to at least understand the story. I may or may not finish speed reading it, just so I can discuss it with my Sci Fi Reading Club. I would return it to the library if it wasn't for the fact I might want to discuss it with others in my group. But what I have read is enough to make me want to throw out what was on my plate. Reading it made me feel as if I had been drinking vinegar spiked with Sewage Water. With the idea of a Tooth Fairy Story, I thought it would be layered with mystery, fantasy, awe and wonder. Instead it is layered with a scarry depressing raunchy tooth fairy. The story was anything but interesting and was a crude and tasteless venture of writing. I didn't care about the characters and was not happy to be in their presense. If I sound too harsh, that's because the taste left in my mouth after reading this book really tastes terrible and this is my way of saying.......... Y U C KKKKKKKKKKKKKKk
|
|
|
Most recent customer reviews
|
