Helpful Score: 7
I've enjoyed reading this book. I find the exploration and examination of the skeleton of stories to be fascinating. I practically devoured it when I first got the book because the author was explaining stories and how they get put together in a somewhat mathematical way. (Math makes more sense to me. Language is a little harder to pin down.) The author explained a plot, gave several examples from common literature and then went on to describe several variations of those plots. I kept thinking as I read it, "I get it!" After reading this book, I recognize the basic plots, either singularly or combined together in the stories around me. This book has changed how I experience movies and books by recognizing different elements of the plot as it passes by. However, this newfound knowledge does have a down side -- I am much better at predicting how stories will end and so some of the suspense is ruined. (Pity, I love good suspense!)
Recommended for budding authors and those wanting to understand the basic plots in the stories around us.
Complaints: I disagree with some of the author's conclusions about mankind's nature, etc. I am also disappointed with how many stories this knowledge ruins.
Recommended for budding authors and those wanting to understand the basic plots in the stories around us.
Complaints: I disagree with some of the author's conclusions about mankind's nature, etc. I am also disappointed with how many stories this knowledge ruins.
