immerse yourself in a beautiful book
Last summer I heard about an amazing novel that a friend of friends wrote. Beautiful Wreck caused readers to stay up all night to finish. I like novels like that! The novel was a magical blend of science fiction, fantasy, time travel, Iceland, and even included Vikings. I knew I wanted to read it.
But before I tell you more, let me send you on a brief diversion. Today while I was finalizing this post, I came across an article on NPR’s website about a Sensory Fiction project out of MIT’s Media Lab. Augmented fiction that would help me to actually feel what characters feel while I’m reading? Wow. That sounds more like far science fiction. I think that would be lots of fun.
After hearing so many good things about the book, I begged the publisher, aka Shannon for an early copy in exchange for a review posted to goodreads and amazon. (disclaimer: CP is a client for other projects and publisher of a book with one of my designs. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
After much begging on my part and promising to not fall behind in work, I received the ARC on a very good Monday mail day, and fell in love with it that weekend. As I had warning that it was a stay-up-all-night-to-finish book, I (somehow) waited until Friday night to start and then spent much of the next day finishing it. It was good. Very very good. So good I knew if I kept the ARC in the house I’d reread it immediately and that wouldn’t be good for deadlines. I asked if I could send it on to Melanie so I could have another someone to talk to it about before it was released. With a yes, I sent it on and worked while I waited to learn that she loved it too.
That book is now available for sale and there’s a very special promotion for tomorrow, Friday 07 February 2014. There are additional incentives for purchasing and even more if you post a review. You see, the author is not just an amazing writer, she’s also a very talented knitwear designer. Over the course of researching and writing this book, a pattern collection was designed. Please learn more about the promotion, purchase the book and add your review!
My initial thoughts on this book are below, but I really think Melanie’s is the review I wish I could write. I’m excited to buy a copy so I can immerse myself again in this wonderful book while the gulf between fiction and reality blurs.
Beautiful Wreck
by Larissa Brown
Published 2014 by Cooperative Trade
Without a doubt, Beautiful Wreck is one of the best novels I’ve read recently. While on the surface it could be categorized under certain genres such as fantasy and romance, it dispenses with the usual clichés associated with these classifications and tosses them away to forge a new path. We are transported from a near-future, which is enthralled by visions of the past, to the imagined past of Iceland in the year 920 which full of beauty and hope for the future.
We watch Ginn discover a reality thought unattainable and beyond her wildest dreams. She has yearned for an immersion of indistinct boundaries where she could actually experience “art, magnificent in its fervent detail”, what happens to her when the impossible arrives?
Brown’s writing describes a world that makes me wish for the tank. Ginn’s experiences draw you in from the very start without any desire to tap out, so plan ahead and clear your schedule (or prepare for a sleepless night).
Reader interactions
One Reply to “immerse yourself in a beautiful book”
Comments are closed.
I’m flattered! It was a pleasure to write a review for such a wonderful novel.