Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover: What a Let Down (The End of Mr. Y - Scarlett Thomas)

Member Name: janharper

Product:	The End of Mr. Y - Scarlett Thomas
Date:	21/05/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for putting you to sleep

Disadvantages: Long and tedious, too much superfluous information

This has to be one of the most frustrating novels I have ever read. I just wanted to scream 'Well, get on with the story, why don't you? Why are you telling me this?'

Ariel Manto is student who comes across a rare book that is supposed to have some kind of curse on it. The book has a page torn from it and she sets out to discover why it was removed, and what it was. It turns out to be a magic formula which she gathers the ingredients for and tries it out.

The story itself is quite thrilling and exciting as she goes on her adventures but I really thought that it was ruined by superfluous information. For instance the writer goes into great about a dinner time conversation with friends and scientific details are given in such depth that I did if the author was trying to show off her knowledge on the subject.

There are some sex scenes in the book that don't fit in with the story. For instance, Aeriel is at the university and on her way back stops off for a quickie with a college professor. There is no need to tell us that as it doesn't help the plot at all. It seemed to me to be shoved into the story. It's the old adage that a good story needs excitement and sex and I felt that the author just shoved that episode in to keep to the formula. Don't get me wrong, I'm no prude and I don't object to the subject matter. It just didn't fit right there.

This book by Scarlett Thomas has a startling red and black cover and the page edges are black too, which I must confess is what attracted me to it. Maybe I should have remebered the old adage: 'Never judge a book by its cover.'

It is a long tedious book with 506 pages and I found it quite tedious. To be honest, I stopped after chapter eleven because I was getting so frustrated at the slow pace of actual story. There are too many detours in this novel to keep me interested.

Summary: Too slow with detail that didn't help the story. A real disappointment.