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marijka's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Wow, people really seem to hate this. I'm guessing that's about 50 percent because it's a collection of short stories focusing on fucked-up teenagers being violent and despairing and awful to themselves and others, and 50 percent because it's a collection like that written by James Franco, who is hotter and richer and more famous than you are. I'm divided 50/50 myself on how much it would suck to be a James Franco coming out with your debut literary effort, compared to Jo(e) Blow: on the one hand, James Franco is almost guaranteed a publishing deal and some attention; on the other hand, people are far less likely to be immediately dismissive of Jo(e) Blow because they are confused at/enraged by/busy masturbating to how pouty and biteable Franco's lips look in his author photo.
But setting all that aside for a minute: is this collection worth reading at all? I think so; I think it paints a lively-voiced, accurate, occasionally incisive, and at times darkly funny portrait of teenage nihilism that's scary because it's full of the things most people don't want to recognize as true. Now, my teenage years were not like those presented in this collection, but they touched upon others that were—enough that I shivered to feel near to that again. The Palo Alto of James Franco's mind is definitely not a place I want to spend a lot of time.
Which is one of the many things that makes this collection far from perfect: in adhering so tightly to a theme, all of the stories in this book do eventually begin to feel the same; they're almost oppressive in their sameness. Franco is also not exactly covering untouched territory here—although he is, I think, covering it well—but it would be interesting to see him push himself, try something different, new. And, okay: what a thing for me to demand of a guy who's acting, writing, doing weird art exhibits, and getting multiple graduate degrees, but there you go. You're famous, people start having weird expectations for you.
So instead, how about this: this may not be the best short story collection ever, James, or even anywhere close; but I'm fascinated that you wrote it, that it's as raw as you made it, that it exists at all. Please keep fascinating me, however you may choose to do so.
Regards,
Jo Blow
But setting all that aside for a minute: is this collection worth reading at all? I think so; I think it paints a lively-voiced, accurate, occasionally incisive, and at times darkly funny portrait of teenage nihilism that's scary because it's full of the things most people don't want to recognize as true. Now, my teenage years were not like those presented in this collection, but they touched upon others that were—enough that I shivered to feel near to that again. The Palo Alto of James Franco's mind is definitely not a place I want to spend a lot of time.
Which is one of the many things that makes this collection far from perfect: in adhering so tightly to a theme, all of the stories in this book do eventually begin to feel the same; they're almost oppressive in their sameness. Franco is also not exactly covering untouched territory here—although he is, I think, covering it well—but it would be interesting to see him push himself, try something different, new. And, okay: what a thing for me to demand of a guy who's acting, writing, doing weird art exhibits, and getting multiple graduate degrees, but there you go. You're famous, people start having weird expectations for you.
So instead, how about this: this may not be the best short story collection ever, James, or even anywhere close; but I'm fascinated that you wrote it, that it's as raw as you made it, that it exists at all. Please keep fascinating me, however you may choose to do so.
Regards,
Jo Blow
stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
4.0
Set in the early 1990s, this haunting and well-written collection of interconnected stories centers around the lives of Palo Alto's more ambivalent high school students, youths wholly consumed by their own sexual frustration, self-loathing, guilt, homophobia, and unrequited love. Readers will find James Franco's lean writing style honest, raw, and reflective of the scattered thought processes of your garden-variety angst-addled teenagers struggling to find meaning in their lives. The actor/filmmaker reveals himself to be a versatile artist. Using terse language, Franco succeeds in depicting bleak and realistic situations besetting a generation enveloped by nihilism, decadence, longing and desire. These stark and tragic coming-of-age tales will linger in your mind long after you've finished them.
thewriterrose's review against another edition
1.0
This felt like an excuse to use the n word a lot and say other super racist things.
stephaniexpink's review against another edition
1.0
badly written with too many short sentences to the point it was weird to read; non-existent plot and everything just seemed out of place. Just felt like It was someone trying to be too edgy? I hated it.
tanyawinanto's review against another edition
2.0
although i have a very big fond of Mr. Franco, but i gotta say this book is rubbish. it's very bad written, horrible storyline and boring.
bentrevett's review against another edition
2.0
absolute shit. written like a 12-year-old trying to copy brett easton ellis.
dimples0508's review against another edition
2.0
I'm going to go with Zoey on this one! That was some weird stuff to get through. It was like a super shocking gritty Arcade Fire Suburbs without a huge shock factor, it was just kind of gross. So I got through it fairly quick but then I sat and wondered about Franco's writing style and whether or not he wrote this book for the passion or for the Duchamp quality of "this is a book, this is art". And whether or not he experienced this stuff because if he did that's pretty messed up.
doritobabe's review against another edition
2.0
Palo Alto review.
This is a pretentious piece of work. I originally bought this book for my brother when he was 17 as I felt it would maybe speak to him in some way...all because i had heard it was about youth lifestyle. If anyone remembers the movie Thirteen with Evan Rachel Wood, this is essentially the same kind of story: wayward teens guided by sex, drugs, and violence (for a new generation, because we all know rock and roll and it's ideologies of rebellion have been replaced by EDM, friends named MOLLY, and an uncontrollable desire to get bitches and spend money.)
I honestly cannot tell if Franco:
a) decided to write the most outrageous book he could to see if it could sell purely on its celebrity basis
b) intended to write a 'meaningful' book about teenage folly, ignorance, and cruelty in order to describe/outline/show to the readers something about the youths of today and the influence of society and parents (or the lack thereof for both of these categories.)
**Keep in mind this point can be argued extensively because of how un-carefully written this book is.**
Regardless of his intent, this book is... interesting to say the least. His teenagers seem emotionless and senseless--almost brain dead--with the style of writing used. The plot itself is incoherent because each short story jumps around feeding the reader random facts about "teenage life" that revolve mostly around the size of someone's penis, breasts, or who can give the best head.
I feel that if a parent read this they would get paranoid about their children because the content is so frightening yet hyper-realistic--essentially just one big parental nightmare wrapped neatly between a cover and the name "James Franco"; giving it the appearance of "truth" (because you know, the validity of all celebrity endorsement.) Much like we saw again with Thirteen and it's suicidal-blow-job-obsessed-teen-queen or the '90s terror Kids.
Honestly, maybe there is something to this book. Maybe it speaks volumes about the naitivity of youth; about the miseducation of sex and violence (or rather lack thereof); maybe it is important for those who are young to read so that they can realize, from the outside perspective of the book, that some things they may be doing are wrong. Potentially, this book is important, but as an avid reader and someone who is interested in the sociology of youth and youth subcultures, I feel as though these stories are only true or real to an extreme minority. And remember folks, Franco is an actor and director first, and what do movies do best other than exaggurate things for a good story?
This is a pretentious piece of work. I originally bought this book for my brother when he was 17 as I felt it would maybe speak to him in some way...all because i had heard it was about youth lifestyle. If anyone remembers the movie Thirteen with Evan Rachel Wood, this is essentially the same kind of story: wayward teens guided by sex, drugs, and violence (for a new generation, because we all know rock and roll and it's ideologies of rebellion have been replaced by EDM, friends named MOLLY, and an uncontrollable desire to get bitches and spend money.)
I honestly cannot tell if Franco:
a) decided to write the most outrageous book he could to see if it could sell purely on its celebrity basis
b) intended to write a 'meaningful' book about teenage folly, ignorance, and cruelty in order to describe/outline/show to the readers something about the youths of today and the influence of society and parents (or the lack thereof for both of these categories.)
**Keep in mind this point can be argued extensively because of how un-carefully written this book is.**
Regardless of his intent, this book is... interesting to say the least. His teenagers seem emotionless and senseless--almost brain dead--with the style of writing used. The plot itself is incoherent because each short story jumps around feeding the reader random facts about "teenage life" that revolve mostly around the size of someone's penis, breasts, or who can give the best head.
I feel that if a parent read this they would get paranoid about their children because the content is so frightening yet hyper-realistic--essentially just one big parental nightmare wrapped neatly between a cover and the name "James Franco"; giving it the appearance of "truth" (because you know, the validity of all celebrity endorsement.) Much like we saw again with Thirteen and it's suicidal-blow-job-obsessed-teen-queen or the '90s terror Kids.
Honestly, maybe there is something to this book. Maybe it speaks volumes about the naitivity of youth; about the miseducation of sex and violence (or rather lack thereof); maybe it is important for those who are young to read so that they can realize, from the outside perspective of the book, that some things they may be doing are wrong. Potentially, this book is important, but as an avid reader and someone who is interested in the sociology of youth and youth subcultures, I feel as though these stories are only true or real to an extreme minority. And remember folks, Franco is an actor and director first, and what do movies do best other than exaggurate things for a good story?