That's right, it finally arrived. I'd been so worried that I actually ordered a 2nd copy, which also arrived today. crazy. Now I have two copies of The Instructions (one red cover, one grey).
The grey copy came directly from McSweeney's (via The Rumpus book club), and arrived not all that well packed, and a little worse for wear. (small tear/dent on front cover fore-edge).
Let me first say, that this picture doesn't come close to showing the book's girth. At 1030 pages and measuring in at 7"x 10"x 3" (which really seems more like 7"x 10"x 5"), my hand barely spans the spine of the book to hold it open. Clearly, the physicality of reading will be a challenge, but perhaps, when I am finished, my biceps, as well as my brain, will be more well defined.
Secondly, from what I've heard so far, this is an excellent read & no one should let the size of the book be an intimidator.
First editions, both signed and unsigned are already listing in the $50 range, even though, at the time of this posting, you can easily acquire copies for $20 (which is funny, since the book isn't "technically" due to be released for another 3 weeks).
From the back cover: Beginning with a chance encounter with the beautiful Eliza June Watermark and ending, four days and nine hundred pages later, with the Events of November 17, this is the story of Gurioun Maccabee, age ten: lover, fighter, scholar, and potential messiah.
First sentence paragraph:
Benji Nakamook thought we should waterboard each other, me and him and Vincie Portite. We wouldn't count the seconds to see who was bravest or whose lungs were deepest - this wasn't for a contest. We'd each be held under til the moment the possibility of death became real to us, and in that moment, according to Benji, we'd have to draw one of the following conclusions: "My best friends are about to accidentally drown me!" or "My best friends are actually trying to drown me!" The point was to learn what it was we feared more: being misunderstood or being betrayed.
Should be an interesting read.
Reviews can be found at Book People Blog, Goodreads, and Amazon.
Labels: Adam Levin, McSweeney's, The Instructions, The Rumpus Book Club
