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ishevlin's review against another edition
2.0
Second person can be really cumbersome in a book this long. It's a shame because the characters are colorful and interesting, and the setting, a Hollywood dive bar was endearingly rendered. Overall though, I wanted to like it more than I did.
franksreads's review against another edition
1.0
Made it to page 43 and could not continue as it became clear DeWitt only describes a character's skin colour when they are Black. Extremely disappointing as he is a good writer but I will no longer support him or his work.
hollylynnca's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
paulvdvenne's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
sparewords's review against another edition
1.0
Poorly wielded periods and commas with some letters in between. Vastly overrated.
winterpirate's review against another edition
2.0
One of the dullest things you could probably ever find to read, but still not a complete waste of time.
Ablutions follows a bartender, YOU, working in a degenerating Hollywood bar. You observe the patrons who are also rapidly degenerating, and reflect on your life, which is also falling apart.
You find this book kind of boring and unimportant, but you keep reading because you want to know at what point the 2nd person perspective will make you actually feel something for the characters. You learn early on that you will never feel anything for any of the characters and you consider quitting the book before its end, but it is only 100 pages long and you think you are falling "platonically in love with" the author. So you finish it and you wonder at the lingering feeling of disappointment but know that you will still read his next books because [b:The Sisters Brothers|9850443|The Sisters Brothers|Patrick deWitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1291999900s/9850443.jpg|14741473] and [b:Undermajordomo Minor|25089757|Undermajordomo Minor|Patrick deWitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1425914522s/25089757.jpg|44778737] were so good, and because it's hard to find this particular brand of odd anywhere else. You wonder if this book wasn't really bad, you were just the wrong reader for it.
Ablutions follows a bartender, YOU, working in a degenerating Hollywood bar. You observe the patrons who are also rapidly degenerating, and reflect on your life, which is also falling apart.
You find this book kind of boring and unimportant, but you keep reading because you want to know at what point the 2nd person perspective will make you actually feel something for the characters. You learn early on that you will never feel anything for any of the characters and you consider quitting the book before its end, but it is only 100 pages long and you think you are falling "platonically in love with" the author. So you finish it and you wonder at the lingering feeling of disappointment but know that you will still read his next books because [b:The Sisters Brothers|9850443|The Sisters Brothers|Patrick deWitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1291999900s/9850443.jpg|14741473] and [b:Undermajordomo Minor|25089757|Undermajordomo Minor|Patrick deWitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1425914522s/25089757.jpg|44778737] were so good, and because it's hard to find this particular brand of odd anywhere else. You wonder if this book wasn't really bad, you were just the wrong reader for it.
heidibird's review against another edition
2.0
As a first novel it is no surprise that DeWitt’s flair for characters and genre is already present but that he hasn’t quite figured out what to do with it yet.
michael_taylor's review against another edition
3.0
A very bleak book set in a very bleak world. I don't think I've read a book in second person before.
The humor is in the novel is often washed out by the unending cruelty and unlikable characters.
Patrick deWitt has a great talent for writing and language that kept me reading it, but I found this one to be the least accessible of his books.
The humor is in the novel is often washed out by the unending cruelty and unlikable characters.
Patrick deWitt has a great talent for writing and language that kept me reading it, but I found this one to be the least accessible of his books.
salbulga's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0