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Michel Faber
- Thread starter novella
- Start date
Stewart
Active Member
novella said:
At first I thought it had cheated me. I'd just been through 800 plus pages with the story and it just ended. Just stopped! I thought at first it was a postmodern trick designed to cheapen a story that had run its course way beyond what it ever should. Then, after a while, it just clicked into place in my head.
Wolhay
New Member
I'm currently reading "Under the Skin" and I'm more than halfway through. I picked it up because of a what's-the-title-thread in this forum had a description of the book which made me interested.
The book is about a woman who travels the A9 highway and picking up muscular hitchhikers every day. Each chapter reveals more about the circumstances. The thread that I read revealed quite a bit but if it revealed key parts I've thankfully forgotten about them now.
There's quite a lot of satire in it but it so far I think it's blended nicely and it haven't felt preachy yet. Contrary to the last book I read.
The book is about a woman who travels the A9 highway and picking up muscular hitchhikers every day. Each chapter reveals more about the circumstances. The thread that I read revealed quite a bit but if it revealed key parts I've thankfully forgotten about them now.
There's quite a lot of satire in it but it so far I think it's blended nicely and it haven't felt preachy yet. Contrary to the last book I read.
This is an author that I have been really curious about too. I saw The Crimson Petal & The White in the book shop and was really interested in the story. Reading the start of the novel, I was impressed with the writing. His Under the skin is also a book that I am really intrigued with. Let us know what you think of the books Novellas, Novella 
Gerbil Chan
New Member
The book was really good, but I agree that the ending was a bit of a rip off.
Stewart
Active Member
Gerbil Chan said:
But it wasn't a rip off when you think about it.
The book is simply a prostitute. You spend money on it, it offers you a bit of escapism, it doesn't ask you your name, and after a set period of time, the fantasy just comes to an end and you have to go back to your normal life.
Gerbil Chan
New Member
Stewart said:
wow, Novella, thanks, a thousands of thanks. I bought a dozen of books on a sale. When I was picking up books, I really didn't know which one to buy and which one I had to give up. I came across this author, Michel Fiber. I suddenly remembered one of the members here recommended him, which helped me to make the decision. As I came back and checked them. I found it was this The Crimonson petal and white! Don't have enough words for this discovery!!! Yay!
Yay!
Ronny
Well-Known Member
I read the Crimson Petal And The White recently after my cousin forced it upon me and I ended up really liking it. I liked everything about it, the story, characters, the tone and great details. I just wanted to find more books by him. The ending is rather abrupt but I liked it too.
novella
Active Member
This is a link to my recent comments on his new book The Courage Consort, which you might be interested in:
http://forums.thebookforum.com/showthread.php?t=5295
http://forums.thebookforum.com/showthread.php?t=5295
Litany
Active Member
I didn't find the ending as much of a let down as the style of prose. It started off so well-written and then it felt as though he got bored with keeping it up for so long (wey hey) and the style started to trail off. Mostly people's actions made sense and fitted with their characters, except for the very end, but then it seemed like everyone had gone bonkers by then anyway. Or maybe it wasn't him that got bored, maybe it was me. I only bought it because I thought the cover was pretty. 
Found the first 18 chapters of this book in the online book section of the Guardian newspaper here
Here is a sample of her work! You can read the rest by following the link!
"Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them.
This city I am bringing you to is vast and intricate, and you have not been here before. You may imagine, from other stories you've read, that you know it well, but those stories flattered you, welcoming you as a friend, treating you as if you belonged. The truth is that you are an alien from another time and place altogether.
When I first caught your eye and you decided to come with me, you were probably thinking you would simply arrive and make yourself at home. Now that you're actually here, the air is bitterly cold, and you find yourself being led along in complete darkness, stumbling on uneven ground, recognising nothing. Looking left and right, blinking against an icy wind, you realize you have entered an unknown street of unlit houses full of unknown people.
And yet you did not choose me blindly. Certain expectations were aroused. Let's not be coy: You were hoping I would satisfy all the desires you're too shy to name, or at least show you a good time. Now you hesitate, still holding on to me, but tempted to let me go. When you first picked me up, you didn't fully appreciate the size of me, nor did you expect I would grip you so tightly, so fast. Sleet stings your cheeks, sharp little spits of it so cold they feel hot, like fiery cinders in the wind. Your ears begin to hurt. But you've allowed yourself to be led astray, and it's too late to turn back now.
It's an ashen hour of night, blackish-grey and almost-readable, like undisturbed pages of burnt manuscript. You blunder forward into the haze of your own spent breath, still following me. The cobblestones beneath your feet are wet and mucky, the air is frigid and smells of sour spirits and slowly dissolving dung. You hear muffled drunken voices from somewhere nearby, but what little you can understand doesn't sound like the carefully-chosen opening speeches of a grand romantic drama; instead, you find yourself hoping to God that the voices come no closer.
The main characters in this story, with whom you want to become intimate, are nowhere near here. They aren't expecting you; you mean nothing to them. If you think they're going to get out of their warm beds and travel miles to meet you, you are mistaken.
You may wonder, then: why did I bring you here? Why this delay in meeting the people you thought you were going to meet? The answer is simple: their servants wouldn't have let you in the door."
Here is a sample of her work! You can read the rest by following the link!
"Watch your step. Keep your wits about you; you will need them.
This city I am bringing you to is vast and intricate, and you have not been here before. You may imagine, from other stories you've read, that you know it well, but those stories flattered you, welcoming you as a friend, treating you as if you belonged. The truth is that you are an alien from another time and place altogether.
When I first caught your eye and you decided to come with me, you were probably thinking you would simply arrive and make yourself at home. Now that you're actually here, the air is bitterly cold, and you find yourself being led along in complete darkness, stumbling on uneven ground, recognising nothing. Looking left and right, blinking against an icy wind, you realize you have entered an unknown street of unlit houses full of unknown people.
And yet you did not choose me blindly. Certain expectations were aroused. Let's not be coy: You were hoping I would satisfy all the desires you're too shy to name, or at least show you a good time. Now you hesitate, still holding on to me, but tempted to let me go. When you first picked me up, you didn't fully appreciate the size of me, nor did you expect I would grip you so tightly, so fast. Sleet stings your cheeks, sharp little spits of it so cold they feel hot, like fiery cinders in the wind. Your ears begin to hurt. But you've allowed yourself to be led astray, and it's too late to turn back now.
It's an ashen hour of night, blackish-grey and almost-readable, like undisturbed pages of burnt manuscript. You blunder forward into the haze of your own spent breath, still following me. The cobblestones beneath your feet are wet and mucky, the air is frigid and smells of sour spirits and slowly dissolving dung. You hear muffled drunken voices from somewhere nearby, but what little you can understand doesn't sound like the carefully-chosen opening speeches of a grand romantic drama; instead, you find yourself hoping to God that the voices come no closer.
The main characters in this story, with whom you want to become intimate, are nowhere near here. They aren't expecting you; you mean nothing to them. If you think they're going to get out of their warm beds and travel miles to meet you, you are mistaken.
You may wonder, then: why did I bring you here? Why this delay in meeting the people you thought you were going to meet? The answer is simple: their servants wouldn't have let you in the door."
I just finished Crimson Petal and the White. I really enjoyed this novel a lot. The writing was wonderful and so was the style. The characters lived and breathed for me and I cared about them. That's the sign of a good book, I think. I didn't feel cheated regarding the ending. I agree with Stewart on the endings intention. The only disappointment was
Great novel and one that I can highly recommend!
Henry's death. I felt it was really cheap. You get to the part where the sub plot between him and Mrs Fox gets really interesting and then the next chapter tells us he is dead with only a few sentences. The fall out of his death too seem very skipped over.
Great novel and one that I can highly recommend!
Great! I hope you enjoy it and let us know what you think
I can well understand her late night reading marathons! I have had a few of those myself reading it! The novel is one that does grab you. I really felt for the characters and lived with them. I was always hungry to know what was going to happen next!
I can well understand her late night reading marathons! I have had a few of those myself reading it! The novel is one that does grab you. I really felt for the characters and lived with them. I was always hungry to know what was going to happen next!