Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

SPOILERS

I debated placing this book in the other not-so-nice section, and I didn't want to be biased because I like Bradbury. So let's get all the mean comments out of the way upfront...

I didn't like some major things about this book. For one, there didn't seem to be a plot, per say. I'm not against unconventionality, but the opening pages were very dry to me, despite Bradbury's saturated language, barely keeping it from crumbling away to dust. This set the tone for many parts of the book, though I will say there were very moving chapters.

The end of the story wrapped up the book but looking back, it didn't seem as though a lot was accomplished (in a cohesive and comprehensive manner, that is) in the meat of it.

Let's look at what I did like, from a reader/writer's standpoint.

Bradbury's style has always been enticing to me, because while many writers opt for a more clean cut, less poetic style of prose, Bradbury does well what murders a majority of amateur manuscripts: flowery language.

I have always admired those who break the mold and shut up all the silly lit crit morons who have opinions about every which literary thing. Those writers understand that fiction is not something you can package into a set of rules and successful techniques, because a good writer is just a good writer and a good story is just a good story regardless.

Though it is widely understood that D.W. is just a fictional snippet of Bradbury's childhood, more of a commentary on his life and the passage of time/aging than an actual rollercoaster plot, it appeared to be broken into chapter subplots which were all conducive to the overall theme.

For instance, various chapters use clever variations of the concepts of happiness and time travel using "machines" and people, in very real and sincere moments.

Doug Spaulding is memorable in his own way, brother Tom, too, and really all the characters have their own things that make them unique.

I wish something more would have been done with the concept of "the lonely one," which sort of dead-ended, capsized and fizzled out all in one. One of various little let-downs I had.

The writing, though I like it, does get cumbersome during the quieter moments, and I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone who's looking for a book like Fahrenheit or Something Wicked.

I still love and respect Ray B. as a writer and a passionate human being, but I won't call this book my favorite of his. Not by a long shot.