Disappointment Gets The Square
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a novel written by Dave Eggers (the last one was in 2003, You Shall Know Our Velocity). I figured based on the reviews that The Circle would be really good. It wasn’t.
The Circle is poorly veiled commentary and satire disguised as a novel about what we are willing to give up to exist on the Internet. The (lack-of-character) arc is trite and predictable. And the ending. Let’s chat a little about the ending.
When you have written a novel to end it using a short chapter of exposition is a punch in the face, especially when Eggers is the founder of a website/magazine that holds high standards to the content that appears online and print. I get that the publishing industry is a business and that name alone sells books but the good reviews The Circle seems to be receiving is a fine example of dick riding sponsored by the publisher to ensure copies sell. Maybe check out this book at your library but that’s as far as I’ll recommend. It is a fast read but you’ll wonder why you spent your money and time on it afterwards.
Here are things that are better than The Circle:
- Last night’s Frightened Rabbit concert at The Beacham: the sound mix was horrible and Laura and I could barely understand what they were singing. We left 45 minutes into the show to go have drinks with a couple I haven’t seen in two years. However, at least you didn’t see the poor sound mix coming a mile away.
- The Megabus showing up over an hour late in Morgantown: it was cold and rainy and the wait was hard because I was in Morgantown for 19 days at that point. However, the bus eventually showed up and I made it to Pittsburgh safe and sound. The time waiting was better spent than the time it took to read The Circle. Unlike the book, I experienced a happy ending.
- The New York Giants: yes, they are 0-6, but unlike the plot of The Circle, no one saw that coming.
- The government shutdown: actually, that is one thing that is worse than The Circle. Remember this shutdown when it is time to vote in the midterm elections in 2014. Stop electing assholes, guys.
- Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1: I saw the last half of this movie when I switched hotels in Morgantown. The c-section by fang scene far more enjoyable than The Circle because ‘c-section by fang’.
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Next Saturday, my reading series presents a Dead Poets Slam at my old slam venue, featuring three of the four poets on The Lucky Funeral Tour. Here’s the Facebook event page with more details.
