Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence

You. I am so jealous of YOU. Because you still have this tasty treat in your future, like a fresh ice cream cone waiting to be licked, and I have already completely and messily devoured mine.This book reminded me of Neil Gaiman while being in no way imitative, unoriginal, or not completely its own wonderful thing ... if you liked Gaiman’s THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, or Bradbury’s SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, or Gaiman and Pratchett’s GOOD OMENS, or even Moore’s LAMB: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BIFF, CHRIST’S CHILDHOOD PAL, then you are possibly pre-Engineered to love this as much as I did.You won’t realize this until you’ve read it, but some vital component of a critical machine’s intricate clockwork won’t click properly into place until you have — and really, don’t you owe it to yourself and the Universe to set that right? Not only is HANNAH GREEN AND HER UNFEASIBLY MUNDANE EXISTENCE brilliantly conceived and executed, but it is fun, funny, poignant, gorgeously written, and just a joy to read. Even when the car is shaking to bits all around you and a long, terrifying drop opens beneath your feet, you won’t want the ride to end.So I’ll be polite and say I hope you enjoy your ice cream cone as much as I enjoyed mine. But honestly, if I could take it away from you and eat it again for the first time, I probably would.

I had no expectations about Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence; I bought it simply because I came across a link to it online and I have read and enjoyed the author's short fiction. Now, having finished and very much enjoyed the novel, I have no neat categories for it. Is it MG, or maybe YA? Well, the main character is an 11-year-old girl whose perspective and inner life are vivid and authentic--yet there are genuine horrors in the story (not just because two of the characters are the Devil and a monumentally destructive demon), and the adult characters also have their own concerns, points of view, and inner lives. Is it fantasy, horror, a thriller, a coming of age story, or a meta-story about the meaning of stories and the art of telling them? Yes, and throw in some wit and humor as well. I will certainly reread this tale of a seemingly ordinary girl's journey beneath the surface of everyday life, and her discovery of the forces that manage and mismanage existence.I thought of giving this book 4 stars because, although the characters and primary setting are firmly American, there are a few intrusive instances of British slang and spelling. (The author is British.) But the story was too absorbing, and the writing much too entertaining, for that--and it's an editorial issue, anyway. So 5 it is.

Michael Marshall Smith is just about my favorite writer. I have reread his trilogy multiple times (Straw Men, Lonely Dead, Blood of Angels). I don't know how I missed this book for three years but I snapped it up when I saw it and read it immediately. Get lost in Hannah Green's world, which suddenly contained people and things which certainly weren't there before. I haven't been a fan of books about gods, which just haven't connected with me. For some reason, the Devil in this book was just perfect. Another weird/good thing about this book was that, though it could be read with pleasure by a YA, it covers adult topics, such as the disintegration of a marriage with a sure touch that struck me as so true, revealing issues certainly above Hannah Green's head but resonating with readers. I wish Michael Marshall Smith wrote a book every ten minutes like Stephen King.

It is difficult to categorize or explain the appeal of an endearing book like this. For me, ‘Hannah Green’ is a coming of age story with supernatural elements involved in the telling. The fate of the world for a time rests on the shoulders of an 11 year old ‘ordinary’ girl named Hannah, whose parents happen to be going through a bitter divorce, and whose mysterious grandfather happens to be the Devil’s own clockmaker. Hannah’s mundane life becomes anything but mundane when the Devil comes to town! I enjoy the speculative fiction/urban fantasy genres most, so there was no lapse of interest on my part from the beginning to the end of the tale. This is one of those rare works of fiction that—in my opinion—has something every reader might enjoy. The characters are all relatable, the story is imaginative, compelling, and highly entertaining. Having lived in the Santa Cruz area for 12 years, I can relate that several aspects of the story made me wax nostalgic for a place I once had the good fortune to call home. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for readers of all ages.

Just finished this delightful story of fantasy, Good and Evil, and every thing in between. Hannah is a smart 11 year old who learns more about her grandfather when sent to stay with him while her father navigates a very messy separation from Hannah's mother, and winds up missing himself. The Devil, an inept imp named Vaneclaw, and a black squirrel all embark on a journey to find the machine Hannah's grandfather built that filters all bad deeds down to Hell, because it's broken. All the evil is leaking out onto Earth.I absolutely loved the characters and the wonderful story of how Hannah learns how things work behind the scenes in the circumstances of her life. I definitely see myself coming back to this story again in the future to enjoy its magic once more.

This one is hard to review. It tells the tale of Hannah, an ordinary girl with an extraordinary grandfather. Hannah’s world crashes when her parents separate; it’s truly heartbreaking to read. Her grandfather has made a “deal with the devil”, and there is where the adventure starts.The first 3/4 of the book the characters are “American”, the last 1/4 the author and editor quit paying attention and suddenly the characters are British.The humanness of the tale is positively heartbreaking. The characters are believable, and I’m quite attached to young Hannah.The story encompasses the moral universe in new ways, and is quite insightful.It’s a delightful tale, wrapped in human heartbreak. I’m not sure how to feel about that.

Michael Marshall Smith has an amazing way of telling a story and making it real. I'm looking forward to my next time I get to immerse myself in one of his worlds

Usually I finish each book I read, even if I don't particularly find it that interesting. However, I struggled to read half of this book and gave up. It is boring and sick. I am guessing it is an attempt at humor, but I found it pathetic.

Fun and interesting and cool and well-written. I enjoyed this book immensely. I will recommend this book to my friends.

You may wish to read this novel if you enjoy:1. The wild imagery and humour created by Terry Gilliam, Tim Pope (The Cure music videos), Neil Gaiman, Lewis Carroll and those spooky funfair drawings on Scooby Do.2. A dynamic structure. This is a compelling novel where you might want to cover the end of each chapter with your hand because you know it’s going to end at a point where you are thinking, “What on earth’s going t…..?”3. Listening to a playful narrator, who reminds you that you are listening to a story, and in great storytelling tradition admits to getting bits wrong sometimes. And checks that you are actually listening?4. Philosophical observations about the humdrum.5. Stories that are not restrained by fixed genre conventions.6. Michael Marshall Smith’s books.Or if you:7. Lay claim to a child, parent or other family member who appears normal, but about whom you’ve always had suspicions about their ability to ‘fit in.’8. Could conceivably take a moral position on whether the Devil serves a purpose for the greater good.9. Are not embarrassed to laugh out loud when reading a book. On your own. In a public place. Somewhere that’s meant to be really, really QUIET.10. Can believe that you are on a roller-coaster and can be thrust around by the force of words until your ribs are bruised.11. Have a spare 12 quid.12. Have never read any of Michael Marshall Smith’s books.

Priced like a hardback book, I'd say the kindle version of this is a tad expensive, and as such it took me a while to buy it. Having read it, I still would prefer it to be cheaper, but can confirm it is actually worth every penny.I sailed through this book. The pace is leisurely, but there's always something going on. Hannah's pretty average life takes a dramatic turn, and she takes it well for a 9 year old.There are so many lines in this book that I felt were quotable when reading it, some are funny, some I could relate to, and others made me think; which overall makes for a very good read.If you've read anything by Mr Smith, you'll have already bought this (unless you're like me and wanted the price to drop), so my review is pointless for you. If you've not read this author before, then 1) where have you been? and 2) go read this.An absolutely brilliant read, captivating from start to finish. Go, read this book.