S. created by JJ Abrams written by Doug Dorst Reading this book was a herculean task and explaining/summarizing it to another person is near impossible, but I will try just the same. I challenge readers everywhere to venture into this written wonderland. JJ Abrams, the creator of Lost, has taken his talents into the literary world with S. This book holds all the mystery and confusion that one would expect the creator of Lost to bestow upon readers everywhere. Readers, this is our Mount Everest, it is a challenge and a gift. The uniqueness of this book begins with Eric and Jen. Throughout the book their handwriting is scribbled all over the margins and their messages are distinguished by the looping feminine cursive words of Jen and the small and capitalized handwriting of Eric. Nearly every page is surrounded with a conversation between these two with different inks as well as inserts of letters, postcards, and even a folded napkin with the campus' layout drawn on it. They meet through their shared interest in the book Ship of Theseus (the book you are holding) and its author V.M. Straka (a fictional author). Eric is a graduate at Proghorn State University working on his dissertation focusing on Straka, Jen is an undergraduate literature major in her senior year. Both of them are facing changes in their life when their unlikely companionship begins. Jen first finds the copy of Ship of Theseus that Eric is annotating at the library and she writes him a note and puts it back on the shelf. He responds. They begin passing the book back and forth slowly finding more about Straka and themselves. This book demands attention. The annotations are not just personal between the two of them, but an educated commentary on the book and an attempt of uncovering the long established mystery of V. M. Straka. A revolutionary writer in the 1940's, many scholars have studied his unique writing style and come to know his brilliance through his books. However no one knows who he was. He never revealed himself to the public, not even to his editor/translator F.X. Caldeira, whom which he shared a close bond. This persistent mystery has kept people guessing who this man might be. Many theories have been proposed, but none proved, at least not yet... However, Eric and Jen through their quiet collaboration are coming closer to the truth than anyone has ever gotten and they are starting to be noticed by others. I enjoyed S. It captured my attention and proved to be more puzzle than book. Except it was a puzzle that has no edges and has some pieces missing. The overall story is so stupendous and complex it cannot be summed up in a paragraph. However, if you are an avid reader who would like a challenge and a story that is engrossing and expertly crafted, I highly recommend you take the time to temporarily dedicate yourself to it.
To experience the entire book you must read the story, the annotations and inserts simultaneously to experience it all. And don't forget that there is still a story underneath all of those annotations. The book, Ship of Theseus, is the last book Straka ever wrote (believed to be an allegorical autobiography), and is similar to an epic. The main character is a man who doesn't know who he is and what he is meant to do, but just the same he is whisked into a series of disorienting adventures traveling as a passenger on a ghostly ship filled with a silent crew of strangers. He is called S. The only thing he has is an instinct that there is a woman, Sola, who he is continually drawn to, but is forever passing. It's a good story, but it is just a piece of a bigger puzzle. Remember S. is a challenge, even the annotations are jumbled and are not always chronological. But, the dedicated reader who can go the distance will be rewarded with a story of impeccable design.
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