2008 Woodie Awards
'Raw Shark' tastes good, reads well
By: James Hansen
Issue date: 5/3/07 Section: Review
Exploring the world of conceptual art, Hall continually uses visual motifs and ideals to shed light on the world of the characters. They see a video called "The Light Bulb Fragment" in which a light bulb continues to flicker on and off every few seconds, taken from conceptual artist Martin Creed's exhibit "The Lights Going On and Off." While the references may be unfamiliar, they provide a complex and intriguing insight into a young novelist with unique concepts and exciting work.
Working through different mediums, "The Raw Shark Texts" has already been optioned to become a film. After its premiere at the London Book Fair last year, actress Nicole Kidman became so obsessed with the novel she contacted Hall to rewrite it for a female lead so she could play it in the film. Hall graciously declined.
The obsession with the novel is soon to catch on, and deservedly so. "The Raw Shark Texts" is a book that deserves to be read and pondered over. Hall flips the entire novel on its head with a last chapter that questions what actually happens in the conclusion of our story as well as everything that has happened prior. However, it is much more than a technique to mix things up for a twist ending. Instead, it serves as a meditation on Eric's disease and a jab towards the truth of the words that we see and the meaning that we put behind them. "The Raw Shark Texts" is a book that should not be missed.
Working through different mediums, "The Raw Shark Texts" has already been optioned to become a film. After its premiere at the London Book Fair last year, actress Nicole Kidman became so obsessed with the novel she contacted Hall to rewrite it for a female lead so she could play it in the film. Hall graciously declined.
The obsession with the novel is soon to catch on, and deservedly so. "The Raw Shark Texts" is a book that deserves to be read and pondered over. Hall flips the entire novel on its head with a last chapter that questions what actually happens in the conclusion of our story as well as everything that has happened prior. However, it is much more than a technique to mix things up for a twist ending. Instead, it serves as a meditation on Eric's disease and a jab towards the truth of the words that we see and the meaning that we put behind them. "The Raw Shark Texts" is a book that should not be missed.
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