Thanks for your message on the board and also for your complimentary comments on the site. The writing in Sinai Tapestry is indeed beautiful and does not pall after multiple re-readings. In fact Whittemore's writings become quite addictive. As for the characters being unlikeable, I never found that so. I was touched by Haj Haran, moved by Joe O'Sullivan Beare, awestruck by Strongbow and amused by Wallenstein. I encourage you to continue with Jerusalem Poker when it all may begin to make sense. The true hero of the novels is Jerusalem. The books are Whittemore's love letters to the city. He was very much affected by it and I believe it was love at first sight. Anne --Previous Message--
: I've always felt that Sinai Tapestry and
: Jerusalem Poker could have been bound by the
: same spine; they should certainly be read in
: strict sequence. Nile Shadows, I feel, to
: some degree lacks the fluidity and strict
: detail that bind the first two novels. But,
: I also think this is intentional.
:
: As for the characters, we all draw our own
: conclusions. I find Strongbow's
: arrogance/confidence admirable,
: Wallentstein's devotion impenetrable, Haj
: Harun's aloofness uplifting, Joe's spirit
: heroic, and Stern's dream tragic. And what
: too can be said for Maud, Catherine, Sophia,
: Yakouba, Ziwar, and Sivi?
:
: I hope you well stomach the final chapters.
:
: Sincerely,
: Joseph
: --Previous Message--
: I am about 3/4 of the way through Sinai
: Tapestry, and while I was admittedly
: perplexed by the book's strangeness for the
: first 100 pages or so, I am in awe of
: Whittemore's imagination and prose style.
: He writes such fluid, readable prose, yet
: there are so many sentences that I read over
: two or three times, just to take in all the
: nuances and lyrical beauty. It really is
: deceptively simple. I can't really form an
: impression of the book yet. It is so
: surreal and unlike anything I have ever
: read. Not sure what i feel about the
: characters either. I guess my only
: criticisms are that most of the characters
: are hard to like, and, although I have about
: 80 pages left, i am not sure if there is a
: coherent plot in there somewhere(and i don't
: usually care for plot as much as
: characters/prose style).
:
: Is Sinai Tapestry merely an introductory
: book, or is it meant to stand alone? Does
: the plot of Sinai continue in Jerusalem
: Poker, or is that just another story with
: some of the same characters reappearing?
:
: Nice website by the way...
:
: Thanks
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
1397
Message Thread First Impressions - sb October 11, 2005, 2:26 am
« Back to index | View thread »