The Prestige: Book Review

So, last marking period in my school I took a creative writing course with my current English teacher. I really liked the class, as it mostly consisted of watching movies and writing with those movies structures and themes. One movie stood out in particular to me and that was The Prestige. It was an incredible movie that made me wish I could have seventh period a few times in a row so I could watch the whole thing. At that point I figured out that there was a book that the movie was loosely based off of, and after a friend of mine had bought and read it, it was my turn to give it a read. (It just so happens that this assigned book review is part of a grade and I read the right book!)

To start off, the book is told from multiple perspective throughout. The first section explained a man named Andrew Wesley, who was investigating a news story and came across a young lady named Kate Angier. She asks him to stay, as she believes he is actually Nicholas Borden, who was believed to die when they were both young. She invites him to read the stories of their ancestors, Rupert Angier and Alfred Borden. And so they do, and the book really gets going with the tale of Alfred Borden. I think this was probably my second favorite part of this book, simply because I loved the way that Borden's character wrote. (It was recorded as a diary/journal/yaddayadda) Here was explained the feud that the book is all tied around. At a seance that Angier was doing, Borden attempts to expose him and starts this crazy fight that lasts both of their lives. This creates a crazy chain of events leading to a wild and fantastical story, which also includes revelations of Nicholas Borden's story, as well as Angier's side of the feud. Each of these perspectives unravel an absolutely insane plot that will always have you wanting more.

(Summary is kept brief! As I would not like to spoil this incredible work to those who have not read it.)

Overall I loved the book. It was honestly the best read I've had in a long time. I think it was the way it was told that really caught my attention. Borden's perspective was so interesting and it really caught your attention. You could really get a feel for the character, as if he really existed! Which I think in the end is what all writers want to entice the reader into thinking. Although I found the beginning parts of Andrew's story to be a bit dry, his parts of the story became equally as interesting. The funny part was, Christopher Priest(The author, oh yeah, did I forget to mention that?), was so good at making each character have their own personality. I felt like I was really reading Angier's side of the feud through his journals and not just a stupid interpretation, a ditto Borden's. Also, I found Angier's part of the story to be the most interesting by far. The parts of the book were recorded as journal entries and always had you wanting to turn the page to see what happened next. I give the book a 9/10. Simply because of my slight disinterest in Andrew's introduction. Though, I guess I can't really expect a book to grab me at the first paragraph.

Also. Go see the movie. A lot different, but it's so good it may influence you to read the book.