I was curious, so I downloaded the ePub file of Eleanor
Catton’s Man Booker-winning The
Luminaries from [insert name of illegal download site]. I own a copy of the
book – hardback, signed by the author – so it’s hardly a lost sale. And as a board member of Copyright Licensing NZ I was curious to see what people get when they nick these things.
Then I had to download a new program so I could open
the file, as I don’t have an ebook reader. This was a mission, because every
program free to download was so clearly full of spyware and dodginess. Eventually
I found a trial version of a kosher one on CNet, which is a trustworthy
provider, and clicked to open.
Horrible, horrible, horrible. I’m sure the novel looks
fine on a Kobo or Kindle or whatever as an ebook, but on a PC screen – no. Far
easier to buy the dead-tree version.
But I did like this, on the very last page, faithfully
reproduced:
All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publisher, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.It’s always good to see copyright acknowledged. So here is Alanis Morissette:
One of the best Booker Prize winners I've ever read. Her prose and story telling skills take me back to the delight I felt the first time I read Dickens. The Luminaries is not a book to race through, but one to savour for all its fine qualities. I envy this young writer her literary skills and education - they shine through every page. A truly magnificent novel.
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I haven't read it yet but am impressed by hearing from so many people (e.g. my wife) who have read it to the end about how much they enjoyed it. Yes, enjoyed it. Many more books are bought than are read to the end, especially ones of this length, but "The Luminaries" does seem to be a book one reads for pleasure rather than for duty.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the piecemeal construction of the mystery through the reappraisal of the same events from different perspectives, followed by the formal legalistic elucidation, and then the rounding out via the examination of the interactions of the parties. That sounds awfully dry - believe me, the book is anything but, as the process of drawing you in is more or less irresistible.
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