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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After initially rating this work as 4 stars, I found myself stuck thinking about the characters Edison North and Xtian long after I placed the book back on my shelf. I had to come back and give Blackbird 5 stars for the way the story has stuck with me and how I found myself caring about the characters and thinking I needed more of them. Although it’s somewhat of a disturbing story, it is both comical and even vulnerable in parts. Fiegel did an amazing job developing these characters and telling their story and it has given me quite the book hangover.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Humanity is a vestigial tail on the ass-end of the universe, wasteful and shitty."
Let's be honest, with astute observations like that, this book was kind of written for me. I took a shot because it's the story of a sociopathic killer and his young (kidnapped) protégé. (Leon, The Professional, anyone?) I assumed that it might be super derivative but went for it anyway. What can I say? Sociopaths speak to me.
The good news is that it was better than expected. The story unfolds from both his (alias: Edison, the cold-blooded, chaos making, domestic terrorist/government distraction for hire) and her (Christian /alias: Xtian, the young, kidnapped up and coming psycho) perspectives. It switches between the two so we kind of get both sides of the story. But there isn't toooo much of a story beyond the heartless psycho and the troubled young killer in training. Despite this, I enjoyed it quite a bit. I got a kick out of Edison's ruminations on the world and politics. I liked Xtian and rooted for her.
Where it let me down most, I think, was the lack of explanation for just about every choice they made. Even heartless cunts have some sort of motivation for their actions and it felt like the author didn't know his characters well enough to speak to those. In fact, he made a point of trying to address this void by saying things akin to 'even they didn't know why they...' but that felt like a big cop out to me.
In the end, though, that didn't kill it for me and I really did enjoy it. Especially as I agree with most of Edison's observations. Mostly, though, I could see this being easily adapted into a movie ala Leon or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
This should actually be 3.5 as I was absolutely torn between 3 and 4 stars.
Let's be honest, with astute observations like that, this book was kind of written for me. I took a shot because it's the story of a sociopathic killer and his young (kidnapped) protégé. (Leon, The Professional, anyone?) I assumed that it might be super derivative but went for it anyway. What can I say? Sociopaths speak to me.
The good news is that it was better than expected. The story unfolds from both his (alias: Edison, the cold-blooded, chaos making, domestic terrorist/government distraction for hire) and her (Christian /alias: Xtian, the young, kidnapped up and coming psycho) perspectives. It switches between the two so we kind of get both sides of the story. But there isn't toooo much of a story beyond the heartless psycho and the troubled young killer in training. Despite this, I enjoyed it quite a bit. I got a kick out of Edison's ruminations on the world and politics. I liked Xtian and rooted for her.
Where it let me down most, I think, was the lack of explanation for just about every choice they made. Even heartless cunts have some sort of motivation for their actions and it felt like the author didn't know his characters well enough to speak to those. In fact, he made a point of trying to address this void by saying things akin to 'even they didn't know why they...' but that felt like a big cop out to me.
In the end, though, that didn't kill it for me and I really did enjoy it. Especially as I agree with most of Edison's observations. Mostly, though, I could see this being easily adapted into a movie ala Leon or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
This should actually be 3.5 as I was absolutely torn between 3 and 4 stars.
Blackbird bored me.
The book's synopsis was quite intriguing and the storyline seemed unique, but it just didn't do it for me. I was hoping for gruesome and gory details about Edison's killings because I'm currently in the mood for really twisted, horrific sh*t. Unfortunately, the deaths were mostly PG (for the first half of the book -- can't speak for the second half because I didn't make it that far).
I really wanted to like this book (because I mean look at that beautiful cover!), but I couldn't even bring myself to finish it because it honestly would have been a colossal waste of time.
The book's synopsis was quite intriguing and the storyline seemed unique, but it just didn't do it for me. I was hoping for gruesome and gory details about Edison's killings because I'm currently in the mood for really twisted, horrific sh*t. Unfortunately, the deaths were mostly PG (for the first half of the book -- can't speak for the second half because I didn't make it that far).
I really wanted to like this book (because I mean look at that beautiful cover!), but I couldn't even bring myself to finish it because it honestly would have been a colossal waste of time.
What to say about this book... Is it disturbing? Yes. Is it alarming? Yes. Would I let my mother read it?
Probably not. Despite the murder and mayhem, does it wiggle itself down into your heart and soul like some weird little worm and dig up little bits of emotions you didn't know you had? Most definitely.
On every level this book isn't really something I would usually go for, and yet here we are with me gushing about it. Somehow in its own dark and twisted way it tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you empathizing and sympathizing with two pretty messed up characters that are both people you can't imagine existing and so real that they could be your neighbors.
In the end it's basically a love story. Not the sappy, frilly kind with a happy ending and noble selflessness. It's the Sid and Nancy kind, where there's a feedback loop and the chaos keeps amplifying until, like binary stars, they collapse into themselves.
It's dark, disturbing, utterly engrossing, and oddly sweet in its own twisted way. I highly recommend Michael Fiegel's debut novel Blackbird.
Probably not. Despite the murder and mayhem, does it wiggle itself down into your heart and soul like some weird little worm and dig up little bits of emotions you didn't know you had? Most definitely.
On every level this book isn't really something I would usually go for, and yet here we are with me gushing about it. Somehow in its own dark and twisted way it tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you empathizing and sympathizing with two pretty messed up characters that are both people you can't imagine existing and so real that they could be your neighbors.
In the end it's basically a love story. Not the sappy, frilly kind with a happy ending and noble selflessness. It's the Sid and Nancy kind, where there's a feedback loop and the chaos keeps amplifying until, like binary stars, they collapse into themselves.
It's dark, disturbing, utterly engrossing, and oddly sweet in its own twisted way. I highly recommend Michael Fiegel's debut novel Blackbird.
This is a thought-provoking and well-written novel. The subject is dark, but I found the characters believable and dare I say it, lovable.
This review can also be found here!
DNF at 55%
The whole time I read this, it felt like I could just set it down and forget about it. And, I did that, actually. Each day, I’d put it down after reading the page number I needed. The next day, I’d pick it up, vaguely remembering what happened.
Edision and Xtian were interesting characters. One day, Edision goes into a fast food restaurant, gets into a fight, and shoots people. He takes a little girl with him, Xtian. And they live together, him raising her to know how to fight and kill.
There was no real plot and I’m sure if I kept going, everything would have amazingly connected together… but it wasn’t so amazing that I couldn’t remember things and I didn’t find it worth it.
DNF at 55%
The whole time I read this, it felt like I could just set it down and forget about it. And, I did that, actually. Each day, I’d put it down after reading the page number I needed. The next day, I’d pick it up, vaguely remembering what happened.
Edision and Xtian were interesting characters. One day, Edision goes into a fast food restaurant, gets into a fight, and shoots people. He takes a little girl with him, Xtian. And they live together, him raising her to know how to fight and kill.
There was no real plot and I’m sure if I kept going, everything would have amazingly connected together… but it wasn’t so amazing that I couldn’t remember things and I didn’t find it worth it.
What to say about this book... Is it disturbing? Yes. Is it alarming? Yes. Would I let my mother read it?
Probably not. Despite the murder and mayhem, does it wiggle itself down into your heart and soul like some weird little worm and dig up little bits of emotions you didn't know you had? Most definitely.
On every level this book isn't really something I would usually go for, and yet here we are with me gushing about it. Somehow in its own dark and twisted way it tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you empathizing and sympathizing with two pretty messed up characters that are both people you can't imagine existing and so real that they could be your neighbors.
In the end it's basically a love story. Not the sappy, frilly kind with a happy ending and noble selflessness. It's the Sid and Nancy kind, where there's a feedback loop and the chaos keeps amplifying until, like binary stars, they collapse into themselves.
It's dark, disturbing, utterly engrossing, and oddly sweet in its own twisted way. I highly recommend Michael Fiegel's debut novel Blackbird.
Probably not. Despite the murder and mayhem, does it wiggle itself down into your heart and soul like some weird little worm and dig up little bits of emotions you didn't know you had? Most definitely.
On every level this book isn't really something I would usually go for, and yet here we are with me gushing about it. Somehow in its own dark and twisted way it tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you empathizing and sympathizing with two pretty messed up characters that are both people you can't imagine existing and so real that they could be your neighbors.
In the end it's basically a love story. Not the sappy, frilly kind with a happy ending and noble selflessness. It's the Sid and Nancy kind, where there's a feedback loop and the chaos keeps amplifying until, like binary stars, they collapse into themselves.
It's dark, disturbing, utterly engrossing, and oddly sweet in its own twisted way. I highly recommend Michael Fiegel's debut novel Blackbird.
The book begins well. I was intrigued by the character of Edison and keen to see how Fiegel would avoid the trap of creating yet another Dexter-like anti-hero. He does it well. Edison North is no Dexter. The relationship between Edison and Christian and its fluctuations between fear and contempt to love and then hate is done well and is complex enough for the reader to never really know how they feel about each other yet still wish them both well. There's a true sense of a parasitic relationship except you're never quite sure who is the host and who is the parasite.
Then he lost me.
You can read my entire review at:
https://geeks.media/blackbird-by-michael-fiegel
Then he lost me.
You can read my entire review at:
https://geeks.media/blackbird-by-michael-fiegel