Saturday, February 13, 2016

2016 Reading: High-Rise

#11 A book that's becoming a movie this year



I wanted to read this book especially because 1) it fits the criteria of the challenge because there is a movie of it coming out this year, 2) the book was written by the same guy who wrote Crash which I am a huge fan of, and 3) the movie will be starting Tom Hiddleston. You just can't get any better that that.

This book had me from the first sentence. 

Later, as he sat on his balcony eating the dog, Dr. Robert 
Laing reflected on the unusual events that had taken place 
within this huge apartment building during the previous three 
months. (pg 13)

I read that and immediately knew this was going to be amazing. I know that it took me a bit longer than I would have liked to finish it, but it was well worth it. The descent of the people in the book from society to a kind of primal, warring look into the heart of the beast that is humanity was amazing. There was a particular passage that struck me as I was reading it:

Lang knew that he was far happier now than ever before, 
despite all the hazards of his life, the likelihood that he would die 
at any thing from hunger or assault.  He was satisfied by his self-
reliance, his ability to cope with the tasks of survival--foraging, 
keeping his wits about him, guarding his two women from 
any marauder who might want to use them for similar purposes.  
Above all, he was pleased with his good sense in giving rein to 
those impulses that involved him with Eleanor and his sister, 
perversities created by the limitless possibilities of the high-rise. (pg 184-185)

And I am so excited for the movie to come out now. It is going to be fantastic. But I'll tell you what, if there isn't a scene of Tom Hiddleston crouching naked over a fire made of phone books cooking the carcass of a dog, I am going to be VERY upset...

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