Literature by Guillermo Stitch
Literature by Guillermo Stitch
It took me a little while to get into Literature®, however, overall, I definitely enjoyed this novella and Guillermo Stitch‘s writing style with the wit and carefully chosen wording he uses throughout the story.
The intricate story of Billy Stranger’s last few years and this very chaotic day unfolds quickly, flashing back to some past moments that has lead him to this sad and yet thrilling day.
Billy lives in a dystopian world where fiction novels are banned, and Stitch does a wonderful job of adding some small details that hint at how a lack of reading material affects the literary skills of people. There are also poignant reminders of the past that add to the dark humor and observations, while adding some touching moments that made you pause or relate a bit terrifyingly to the main character.
I did enjoy all of this, but I would have liked a little more explanation, especially in the beginning of the book. I got a bit lost and found myself rereading sentences a few times, thinking I missed a crucial explanation, and confused as to why there were so many trademarks, ®, on all of the words. It started to make more sense about 20% or so into the book, but there were times I was still a bit confused as to what was really going on. It definitely makes more of an impact in this short story form, but I think a few additions of scenes or explanations on this dystopian world that Stitch created would have made me enjoy it even more.
I would certainly recommend it to readers interested in dystopian worlds and an interesting quick read.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Synopsis: We don't know exactly when Literature® takes place and we don't know exactly where. The day hasn't begun very well for Billy. He just messed up his first big assignment, he's definitely going to be late for work, his girlfriend won't get back to him and, for reasons she has something to do with, he's dressed like a clown. Also, he's pretty sure someone is going to kill him today. But then, that's an occupational hazard, when you're a terrorist. He's a bookworm too, which wouldn't be a problem–or particularly interesting–except that in Billy's world, fiction is banned. Reading it is what makes him an outlaw. Why? Because people need to get to work.