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schem's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mvancamp's review against another edition
2.0
This near-novel presents the reader with a barman observing the depressing lives of the alcoholics and drug addicts who come to the seedy bar where he works. Having worked in the bar for six years, the main character (only identified as a second person "you") has allowed himself to gradually adopt behaviors similar to the customers. This is far from a good thing. As he drinks himself into oblivion behind the bar, his life disintegrates; the most notable evidence of this is the break-up of his marriage, which appears to be the one thing positive in his life. The author pulls no punches and presents alcoholism and the seedy underside of barlife in a thoroughly disturbing and unrelentingly bleak fashion.
Aside from the wife, there is not a single character that the reader truly sympathizes with. I get the feeling DeWitt strives to write something like _Jesus' Son_ here but his characters lack the appeal and humanity of Denis Johnson's addicts. As I read, I am assuming I should be hoping that the main character ("you") is ultimately able to redeem himself and fix his life but he is so unsympathetic that I just wanted to turn away from the trainwreck of his life, which may very well be the intent of the author.
As for the "Notes for a Novel" thing (the book is told in short notes about the characters and episodes for presumably the bartender (you) to eventually compile into a novel), it doesn't read like a clever commentary on the novel or even a clever literary gimmick but as the idea of an author who could not string together disparate sections into a cohesive whole. It feels like a novel the author gave up on or a throwaway project from a writing workshop. The end in particular feels forced, as if he is just trying to wrap things up and get this project finished. Having said all that, I will say that the book is well written and good prose always impresses me and keeps me reading. DeWitt has talent and, though this book does not fully realize it, he might be an author to watch if he can find a better, less overworked subject.
Aside from the wife, there is not a single character that the reader truly sympathizes with. I get the feeling DeWitt strives to write something like _Jesus' Son_ here but his characters lack the appeal and humanity of Denis Johnson's addicts. As I read, I am assuming I should be hoping that the main character ("you") is ultimately able to redeem himself and fix his life but he is so unsympathetic that I just wanted to turn away from the trainwreck of his life, which may very well be the intent of the author.
As for the "Notes for a Novel" thing (the book is told in short notes about the characters and episodes for presumably the bartender (you) to eventually compile into a novel), it doesn't read like a clever commentary on the novel or even a clever literary gimmick but as the idea of an author who could not string together disparate sections into a cohesive whole. It feels like a novel the author gave up on or a throwaway project from a writing workshop. The end in particular feels forced, as if he is just trying to wrap things up and get this project finished. Having said all that, I will say that the book is well written and good prose always impresses me and keeps me reading. DeWitt has talent and, though this book does not fully realize it, he might be an author to watch if he can find a better, less overworked subject.
beentsy's review against another edition
4.0
The writing is gorgeous, so clear and descriptive. You can almost smell/taste/touch everything in this book. You wouldn't want to mind you, because almost everything in this story is truly nasty and an example of all the most base things humans are capable of doing to each other and to themselves. Spiraling out of control really.
jsherman32's review against another edition
3.0
Part Bukowski, part Fear and Loathing. Fun second person perspective, but got a little long for me.
megadan777's review against another edition
3.0
This book is written from the perspective of a barman in a dive Hollywood bar somewhere on the Sunset strip. This is a very gritty novel as the protagonist describes many of the colourful, depressive individual patrons that attend the bar either as regulars or her pop into the novel for a couple of chapters. It offers a really interesting depiction of this part of LA.
rmesquirrel's review against another edition
5.0
This book was AMAZING! Such a interesting fun read. Plusm it was written in 2nd person. Which anyone who has tried to write themselves is not an easy feat to complete.
mundinova's review against another edition
3.0
Reads more like a writing exercise rather than an actual novel.
I love Patrick deWitt's writing and have read all his other books: [b:The Sisters Brothers|9850443|The Sisters Brothers|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1291999900l/9850443._SY75_.jpg|14741473], [b:Undermajordomo Minor|25089757|Undermajordomo Minor|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1425914522l/25089757._SX50_.jpg|44778737], [b:French Exit|36300687|French Exit|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508961199l/36300687._SY75_.jpg|57969078], and just got the ARC for [b:The Librarianist|62645180|The Librarianist|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667503110l/62645180._SY75_.jpg|98409690] which I'll be reading next. Since I feel the need to be a completionist, to read all his books, I slated Ablutions right before The Librarianist. Rather glad this one is so short because a full 250 pages would be insufferable.
The writing is beautiful and the scenes and characters are well-formed. The second-person narration is a fun experiment but not necessarily suited to the subject matter. Having just finished [b:Interior Chinatown|44436221|Interior Chinatown|Charles Yu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1639073843l/44436221._SX50_.jpg|69005176], which used the second-person to a brilliant degree, here it feels a little forced and misses the intended purpose. I understand deWitt wants you to sympathize with the Protagonist and the patrons of the bar, to put 'you' in their shoes, but short bursts of characters entering and exiting the bar become bit parts. Fully formed bit parts with nice histories, but nothing the reader can get attached to for long.
The only outstanding question is how this bar stayed in business with all the free drinks being given away every night.
Story: 1 star
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
I love Patrick deWitt's writing and have read all his other books: [b:The Sisters Brothers|9850443|The Sisters Brothers|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1291999900l/9850443._SY75_.jpg|14741473], [b:Undermajordomo Minor|25089757|Undermajordomo Minor|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1425914522l/25089757._SX50_.jpg|44778737], [b:French Exit|36300687|French Exit|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508961199l/36300687._SY75_.jpg|57969078], and just got the ARC for [b:The Librarianist|62645180|The Librarianist|Patrick deWitt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1667503110l/62645180._SY75_.jpg|98409690] which I'll be reading next. Since I feel the need to be a completionist, to read all his books, I slated Ablutions right before The Librarianist. Rather glad this one is so short because a full 250 pages would be insufferable.
The writing is beautiful and the scenes and characters are well-formed. The second-person narration is a fun experiment but not necessarily suited to the subject matter. Having just finished [b:Interior Chinatown|44436221|Interior Chinatown|Charles Yu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1639073843l/44436221._SX50_.jpg|69005176], which used the second-person to a brilliant degree, here it feels a little forced and misses the intended purpose. I understand deWitt wants you to sympathize with the Protagonist and the patrons of the bar, to put 'you' in their shoes, but short bursts of characters entering and exiting the bar become bit parts. Fully formed bit parts with nice histories, but nothing the reader can get attached to for long.
The only outstanding question is how this bar stayed in business with all the free drinks being given away every night.
Story: 1 star
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
yonyorklad's review against another edition
3.0
For the first 30 pages or so I thought it was going to be something very special. Some fluid sections absolutely stopped me in my tracks, particularly in relation to the types of characters that frequent this certain type of bar. But the narrator’s slow descent into substance abuse also brought with it fewer of these sparkling moments of wry observation, and left me feeling a little flat by the conclusion.
It’s concise, and very clear in its style, but despite a very original start, ends up feeling like a million other books.
It’s concise, and very clear in its style, but despite a very original start, ends up feeling like a million other books.
mollyrook's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I like Patrick deWitt a lot, but this book was a DNF for sure. The writing was excellent, but it was just so depressing, with nothing in the plot or character to compel me. I stuck through about half of it for the writing quality, but eventually that wasn’t enough to keep me going. I also don’t understand why this is in second person—that’s a tough sell, and if you’re going to use it, it has to do something important. This did not.
halibut's review against another edition
4.0
Very readable, the least annoying use of second person I have ever come across. Has a very good eye for the little deceptions used on ourselves and others to justify our bad habits. The tone tends to lurch a bit wildly to debauched excess a little too suddenly.