To begin my re-ascension into the world of literature, I picked up a book from a completely secret location that stores books you've probably never heard of: my mom's library shelf. To be honest, I did not know what I was getting into at the time, and considering the fact that I chose it based on instinct alone, my blind venture was one taken with an initial reluctance. I've never read a Dean Koontz book before, much less even heard what most of them were about. I knew he wrote thriller, but that was just about it. That being said, I am surprised what I found. However, what I want to talk about the most right now is Dean Koontz's uses of heavy, implied foreshadowing.
Firstly, before I get into the actual context of the book's story, I would like to take a moment to refer to the dedication page, and a page that contains a single, lone quote. When Koontz dedicates this book to the ones he refers to as the "Old Girls", he follows up with lines that imply that he want's to meet up with them, but he does so in a way that's rather Odd. He states:
"We'll get together. We'll nosh [eat]. We'll tipple [drink alcohol]. We'll dish, dish, dish."
In a place where authors usually get informal to spread their gratitude to their supporters and friends, Koontz takes the time to make it sound poetic. I find this part important because it introduced me to Koontz's style of writing. Instead of saying it in a way people would normally do, he uses more obscure words which heighten the rhythmic feel to it, and gives an underlying feeling of mystery and intensity. Moreover, there's the repeating "dish, dish, dish" which I found out could mean one of three things: to gossip, to utterly destroy something or someone, or both. The capability of broad interpretation is a style easily found in this book, but the point is that this all means something. This diction implies that we're going to be delving into obscure ideas and concepts.
Next, is the lone quote, on the following page, which states:
Next, is the lone quote, on the following page, which states:
"Hope requires the contender
Who sees no virtue in surrender.
From the cradle to the bier,
The heart must persevere."
When I read the credit line, I was met with the title: "The Book of Counted Joys". However, after further investigation, I've discovered that not only did the book not exist, it was a "book" that Koontz referred to in his other books. Therefore, my interpretation of this quote is that it the theme of the book. It is foreshadowing that the main character will face countless trials where he must have the sufficient determination to pull through. Moreover, it gives a sense of mortality with its third line. A bier is another word for a coffin. This negative connotation adds on to the tone that's true to the book's nature; it's an adult thriller-fiction. Will someone die? Will the main character give up? These are the questions I had going into the book. Another thing that I want to point out is the fact that this quote was by itself on the page it was founded on. The extra space could represent emptiness, or loneliness, contrasting with the idea of hope presented here. This antithesis shows a more human side to the quote because the ideal thing is to move on, to persevere, but as we do so, we're still going to have these negative feelings that will stay with us.
Moving on, within the first chapter, simply titled: "One", Koontz starts off introducing the main character: Odd Thomas. This is done through use of first-person perspective, and in doing so, it allowed me to identify with the personality of the character. Immediately after introducing himself, Odd Thomas shrugs off his entire existence as "not important", questioning why you should even care about him in the first place. However, following this line, is a series of explanations that show that the "current" him is going to be recalling events from the past. As what made him become such a hollowed soul, is to be determined, but like before it's foreshadow. It's in the way Odd Thomas conveyed his motives for recollection through the following phrase:
"...I'm not writing this for money. I am writing it to save my sanity and to discover if I can convince myself that my life has purpose and meaning enough to justify continued existence."
What made him think that his sanity was gone? This, added on to the dark atmosphere already present before the book even started, only leads to even more darker thoughts.
As I conclude, I would like to say that so far I'm enjoying the book. I just wanted to share interesting things I found at the very beginning. I've discovered that it isn't only a thriller, and that some of my inferences have taken a direct hit, but I will discuss those in a later post. I do warn you though, as I continue with the next posts, there will be spoilers. So if you really want to fully enjoy this thread, please read the book first. I highly recommend it. Do be careful though, there are some strong adult themes. That said, have a nice day, and thanks for reading!
