Review of Seven at Two Past Five
Posted: 19 Dec 2022, 18:27
[Following is a volunteer review of "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi.]
Isolated button maker Abi’s world is turned upside down when she has a night free from "terrors" and is given a judgement. Not accepting said judgment, Abi decides to appeal, but the road to appeal is long and confusing. With the help of her new and only friend, the one-day-old Zero, she goes on the journey to redemption.
What an enthralling, intriguing, bizarre, nonsensical, addictive, and yet frustrating read. I'm not even sure how I would describe this book if asked to give similar examples. There are none! It is truly an individual work of its own! I’d possibly say a bit of Monty Python crossed with Alice in Wonderland, with a whole load of other weirdness thrown in the mix! But this does not really cover it at all either.
Seven at Two Past Five is a surprisingly enjoyable read. Just when you think you may have this happy mess of a book figured out, you realise that you, in fact, do not and are not even close! It travels in the opposite direction, toward yet more confusion and mayhem. The organised chaos of the plot has your mind spinning. It's confusing but makes sense; it's frustrating but an enjoyable read. This book conjures a whole range of opposite emotions and feelings while reading it. Somehow it's also relatable! I love Abi's directness and confidence, even while she understands nothing of the process that she is being whirlwinded into. The Four Marys remind me of the most neurotic people I know. Their behaviours throughout the book had the ability to trigger anxiety in me and also huge empathy for Abi. I believe it is very powerful when a book can take you on an almost negative emotional rollercoaster while also enveloping you with the feeling that everything will be okay at the end of the ride and making you laugh at the absurdity.
Personally, I enjoyed this read; there was nothing I disliked about it. It is certainly not an easy read, but once you go down this rabbit hole, there is only one way out: to keep going! One has to wonder about the state of mind of the author, Tara Basi, when writing this book. Buckle up for this loopy, psychedelic ride that will take your imagination to new depths. My mind is still performing mental gymnastics days after completing this book. There is so much that goes on, and I find myself suddenly pondering the meaning of it over and over again.
Seven at Two Past Five is impeccably well edited. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Its oddness is very frustrating yet not overly overwhelming. I normally dislike books that make me think too much, but this one is different. This one has all the makings of a future cult classic and conversion into a Tim Burton movie!
With the complex language and profanity used, this is definitely not a book suitable for younger audiences. I would recommend this book to deep thinkers and Monty Python fans alike. You have to have a bit of a twisted sense of humour to thoroughly enjoy this read.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Isolated button maker Abi’s world is turned upside down when she has a night free from "terrors" and is given a judgement. Not accepting said judgment, Abi decides to appeal, but the road to appeal is long and confusing. With the help of her new and only friend, the one-day-old Zero, she goes on the journey to redemption.
What an enthralling, intriguing, bizarre, nonsensical, addictive, and yet frustrating read. I'm not even sure how I would describe this book if asked to give similar examples. There are none! It is truly an individual work of its own! I’d possibly say a bit of Monty Python crossed with Alice in Wonderland, with a whole load of other weirdness thrown in the mix! But this does not really cover it at all either.
Seven at Two Past Five is a surprisingly enjoyable read. Just when you think you may have this happy mess of a book figured out, you realise that you, in fact, do not and are not even close! It travels in the opposite direction, toward yet more confusion and mayhem. The organised chaos of the plot has your mind spinning. It's confusing but makes sense; it's frustrating but an enjoyable read. This book conjures a whole range of opposite emotions and feelings while reading it. Somehow it's also relatable! I love Abi's directness and confidence, even while she understands nothing of the process that she is being whirlwinded into. The Four Marys remind me of the most neurotic people I know. Their behaviours throughout the book had the ability to trigger anxiety in me and also huge empathy for Abi. I believe it is very powerful when a book can take you on an almost negative emotional rollercoaster while also enveloping you with the feeling that everything will be okay at the end of the ride and making you laugh at the absurdity.
Personally, I enjoyed this read; there was nothing I disliked about it. It is certainly not an easy read, but once you go down this rabbit hole, there is only one way out: to keep going! One has to wonder about the state of mind of the author, Tara Basi, when writing this book. Buckle up for this loopy, psychedelic ride that will take your imagination to new depths. My mind is still performing mental gymnastics days after completing this book. There is so much that goes on, and I find myself suddenly pondering the meaning of it over and over again.
Seven at Two Past Five is impeccably well edited. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Its oddness is very frustrating yet not overly overwhelming. I normally dislike books that make me think too much, but this one is different. This one has all the makings of a future cult classic and conversion into a Tim Burton movie!
With the complex language and profanity used, this is definitely not a book suitable for younger audiences. I would recommend this book to deep thinkers and Monty Python fans alike. You have to have a bit of a twisted sense of humour to thoroughly enjoy this read.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon