Flatland Falls Flat
Title: Flatland
Author: Edwin A. Abbott
So here goes one of my less than going reviews. I hate writing these because I truly enjoy enjoying books, so when I don’t enjoy one I am so thoroughly disappointed with everything. It is a sad state of affairs for me when I don’t like a book.
Flatland is a much raved about little piece of allegory refered to in the subtitle as “a Romance of Many Dimensions.” In 1884, when it was published, it had a bit of a cult following and is often described as an “underground favorite.” A bit of sci-fi, a bit of possible dystopian society… it was one of the rare times I read the back jacket and it sounded right up my alley. It was recommended by so many friends. Yet, at only 147 pages long, I was bored to tears by page 36.
I understand what Abbott was trying to do and say, but it is truly exhausting keeping up with circles, pentagons, straight lines, and triangles and all their interpersonal relationships. It was overdone. Everything you need to know to grasp Abbott’s idea could have been handed over in a ten page short story.
In the future I think I’ll stick to his theological work.
Anakalian Whims 
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