Literary Significance and Reception
Jeff VanderMeer has described The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman as “the finest surrealist novel of the past 30 years. It perfectly captures the ideas and ideals of surrealist beauty.” In the New York Times, William Hjortsberg recommended Carter’s novel, noting its attention to detail and maintaining that while reading “We soon forget that the terrain she observes with such care is the interior of her own imagination, for the world she describes becomes as real as any naturalist's report.” However, he criticized Carter’s wordiness and her overuse of abstraction, simile, and metaphors. While she was successful in her early career, this later novel failed to achieve commercial success.
Read more about this topic: The Infernal Desire Machines Of Doctor Hoffman
Famous quotes containing the words literary, significance and/or reception:
“I am not a literary man.... I am a man of science, and I am interested in that branch of Anthropology which deals with the history of human speech.”
—J.A.H. (James Augustus Henry)
“For a parent, it’s hard to recognize the significance of your work when you’re immersed in the mundane details. Few of us, as we run the bath water or spread the peanut butter on the bread, proclaim proudly, “I’m making my contribution to the future of the planet.” But with the exception of global hunger, few jobs in the world of paychecks and promotions compare in significance to the job of parent.”
—Joyce Maynard (20th century)
“I gave a speech in Omaha. After the speech I went to a reception elsewhere in town. A sweet old lady came up to me, put her gloved hand in mine, and said, “I hear you spoke here tonight.” “Oh, it was nothing,” I replied modestly. “Yes,” the little old lady nodded, “that’s what I heard.””
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)