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The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May
Book #1 in the
The Familiar Series
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Book Overview
NATIONAL BEST SELER
The Familiar Volume 1 Wherein the cat is found . . . From the author of the international best seller House of Leaves and National Book Award-nominated Only Revolutions comes a monumental new novel as dazzling as it is riveting. The Familiar (Volume 1) ranges from Mexico to Southeast Asia, from Venice, Italy, to Venice, California, with nine lives hanging in the balance, each called upon to make a terrifying choice. They include a therapist-in-training grappling with daughters as demanding as her patients; an ambitious East L.A. gang member contracted for violence; two scientists in Marfa, Texas, on the run from an organization powerful beyond imagining; plus a recovering addict in Singapore summoned at midnight by a desperate billionaire; and a programmer near Silicon Beach whose game engine might unleash consequences far exceeding the entertainment he intends. At the very heart, though, is a twelve-year-old girl named Xanther who one rainy day in May sets out with her father to get a dog, only to end up trying to save a creature as fragile as it is dangerous . . . which will change not only her life and the lives of those she has yet to encounter, but this world, too--or at least the world we think we know and the future we take for granted. (With full-color illustrations throughout.) Read More chevron_right
Frequently Asked Questions About The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May
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How long does it take to read The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May?
It takes about 10 Hours and 50 minutes on average for a reader to read The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May. This is based on the average reading speed of 250 Words per minute.
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How long is The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May?
The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May is 880 pages long.
- Who wrote The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May?
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Which number is The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May in the The Familiar series?
The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May is book #1 in the The Familiar Book Series and comes before The Familiar, Volume 2: Into The Forest
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Book Reviews (14)
Did you read The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May? Please provide your feedback and rating to help other readers.
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Blown Away.
Derived From Web , May 28, 2022
I'm confused that so many readers think that Danielewski trades quality for gimmicks. I don 't think that anything could be further from the truth. This is one of the coolest pieces of literature I have ever read and also one of the most consistently brilliant. Xanther is a wonderful character, no question, but I was surprised at how much I loved every single narrative, if not for its content, then at least for its delivery ). Anyway, I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of one of the most exciting series ever created, and I am definitely in. Five stars :
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I must admit that I love this book
Derived From Web , May 28, 2022
In a character's narrative there are an extensive number of nested parentheses, almost bordering the ridiculous, but while they offer a little bit of an impediment, they are not destructive of the overall experience. I must admit now that I love this book. At the novel's end, I was amazed at how Danielewski was able to execute this monolithic start to a monolithic series with such incredible grace and elegance. While the majority of the book is essentially exposition, I felt completely captivated by the characters and their stories, especially the little girl at the center of it all, Xanther. Having read the first couple hundred pages of the second book as well as seen how the stories interact with each other, I am completely enthralled with the series and would recommend it to anyone.
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Heard raves but
Derived From Web , May 28, 2022
Hard to read on the iPad Air. The hard copy is probably better. On chapter four, but can 't make head or tail out of the plots, someone tells me that it gets better before I quit.
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"Experimental" is a good word for it.
Derived From Web , Jan 9, 2022
Normally, I like to read books. I am a reader who will give a book what I think is a fair chance before giving up. I, however, couldn t engage with this one, though I really wanted to do so. I liked House of Leaves and I admire the literary experimentation, while I appreciate the uniqueness of the book's design, I wouldn 't call the story's flow particularly narrative... more random and jarring. And that apathy made me impatient with some of the more obtuse sections. Maybe in the future I'll try skipping to read a character's story, one point-of-view at a time. Or maybe I am just the target reader for this series?
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An Interesting Ride
Derived From Web , May 5, 2020
And in this book, the surprises stop just the first time. Wonderfully written '' and incredibly impressive to read.
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Great book by a great author
Derived From Web , Feb 1, 2020
This book is pretty thick, but that is just what you expect from this author. I am one of my favorite authors, but even if you have never read a book by this author, this is a much easier read than House Of Leaves, which I also cannot recommend enough. Any book by this author has a lot of trouble with picking up, but it is nice to know that this book is multiple volumes.
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lots of different characters
Derived From Web , Aug 24, 2019
I had a really difficult time with this one. I loved House of Leaves and thought I would also enjoy this book. I kept finding my mind wandering and thinking about things I needed to do, usually when I read-I don. I know there is a life outside the book '', but with this book I could not get into the book. I hope Book 2 is better.
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The Best Series You're Not Reading
Derived From Web , Feb 18, 2018
The best series you are not reading. But so much more! It is the story of nine people whose lives are suddenly entangled. The first 27 volumes, One Rainy Day in May, is a wonderful introduction to the next volumes. It may seem slow at times, but the pace picks up as you move along, and subsequent volumes move much faster once introductions have been established. A must read for fans of Danielewski's other works and readers of Sci-Fi, detective novels, YA, graphic novels and so much more will also find something they will enjoy. A worthwhile read all around.
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Read these books!
Derived From Web , Feb 18, 2018
The Familiar series is wonderful and you won t regret getting involved, as they are all equally as enthralling! It is powerful, intelligent, violent and the characters are all deeply explored. Love these books! Love, Love!
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A Seductive Challenge
Derived From Web , Feb 18, 2018
This is a challenge, especially in the Jing-jing chapters, but the reward was enormous. After reading several volumes, I've gone back to re-reading this book twice and becomes a little more engaging each time. To look back at this from the vantage point of Volume 5 and see how meticulously Danielewski has arranged this series is mind blowing. Definitely not the best in the series, and there are chapters that you have to zip through even though you don 't feel completely comfortable, but nonetheless funny and creepy and seductive. A brilliant starting point for one of the best series I ever read.
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