Brain Pain discussion

This discussion covers Chapter VIII - X, pp. 97 - 245


Continuing their explorations, Holloway and his team (and the reader) end up in the labyrinth of chapter 9. How long did it take you to find your way out?


To avoid spoilers, please restrict your comments to Chapter VIII - X, pp. 97 – 245 (and the earlier chapters)

So, I'm one week late, but still the first to post? Are you already lost in the house?
;-)
There was one moment when I found myself completely lost in all the footnotes' footnotes. I couldn't remember where I left the main text. I was caught in the books' maze. That was a moment of "WTF", but also of "Man, this author is a genius".
Also really creepy how the SOS sound arrives Navidson when it acutally wasn't an SOS. I like this kind of _insert fitting expression here_.

If there was a Brain Pain Award I would give it to House of Leaves.

Iselin wrote: "So, I'm one week late, but still the first to post? Are you already lost in the house?
;-)
There was one moment when I found myself completely lost in all the footnotes' footnotes. I couldn't remem..."

I agree about the award. Maybe we could call it the "Navy Award" in honor of Danielewski.

Chapter 9 is a genius moment, isn't it? If you follow the footnotes exactly, you would literally not be able to leave the chapter. It takes a few repetitions before you even realize you're trapped. I can't remember ever being so interacted with by an author. A unique experience for me.

So why does footnote 135 appear on p. 114, when the text it accompanies is on p. 107, and there are about 15 footnotes in between?

Casceil wrote: "So why does footnote 135 appear on p. 114, when the text it accompanies is on p. 107, and there are about 15 footnotes in between?"

To keep you trapped in the labyrinth. Throughout Chapter IX you'll find footnotes sending you back to footnotes you've already been to. Eventually, as I mentioned above, Danielewski has trapped you in this chapter. Once you recognize that fact, chuckle quietly to your self and say, " Good one Mark, you sly bastard!" and move on...

Thanks, Jim. Sounds like good advice.

Jim wrote: "...If you follow the footnotes exactly, you would literally not be able to leave the chapter..."

I came upon that conclusion as well, though my first hint was that some of the footnotes' footnotes were numerically out of sequence with the rest of the chapter, indicating to me that this may be a HIGHLY awesome set-up.

In it's simplest iteration, I'd put chapter 9 akin to those little gag gifts on which, on both sides of the item it says "flip over to see how you keep a fool entertained". LOL.