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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
Not what I expected from Chuck, and unfortunately not in a good way. A slog of a beginning, starts getting better after the mid point, then rushes to the finish line. Not a bad book, just not too engaging. A lot of the same shtick over and over during the first half, was glad it slowed down later on. Fine to read once and done.
I'm unimpressed. I didn't like the characters or the story so it was hard to get into and even more difficult to get through.
It started out with some snarky potential, but wit can only take a book so far. Especially when the snark becomes somewhat repetitive and leans toward juvenile.
The problem was that I could not really discern any coherent plot. Maybe it will be there if I keep reading the series, but life it too short to gamble on maybe. Maybe the author should have written a complete book, rather than one that ends with "...to be continued." Ugh.
The problem was that I could not really discern any coherent plot. Maybe it will be there if I keep reading the series, but life it too short to gamble on maybe. Maybe the author should have written a complete book, rather than one that ends with "...to be continued." Ugh.
Not his best, but not his worst. There were times that the main character was ridiculously irritating, but considering she was a 13-year-old girl, maybe that was intentional. *shrug*
I didn't like that
Generally, it felt like this book was just an attempt to shock. Like most of Palahniuk's recent stuff. I miss the Chuck whose books I absolutely fell in love with, where the shock wasn't over-the-top and the plot at least occasionally felt like it was going somewhere.
I didn't like that
Spoiler
the book ended with a "to be continued...." I felt like we got the point of the book already, and frankly, it would have been better without an introduction to Satan at all, which seems to be the only. I liked the use of "Are you there, Satan? It's me, Madison" as a play on "Are you there, God? ...", but God showing up in the flesh in that book probably would have ruined it as much as Satan did this one.Generally, it felt like this book was just an attempt to shock. Like most of Palahniuk's recent stuff. I miss the Chuck whose books I absolutely fell in love with, where the shock wasn't over-the-top and the plot at least occasionally felt like it was going somewhere.
Not Palahniuk's best...There were cutesy elements that made me chuckle (e.g. ripping off Hitler's mustache, or having the currency of Hell be chocolate bars), but it definitely lacked a certain punch. There was nothing much extraordinary. It drew a lot from other stories/books and it seemed to try too hard to be different. There wasn't really any resolution, or even much of a plot.
Damned funny book about a dead teen in hell... Yeah, I know that sounds truly unfunny. Mix Dante and Judy Blume with a side of Breakfast Club and you get Chuck Palahniuk's vision of teenage wasteland. Poor little rich girl Madison Spencer is doomed for eternity, but she embraces her inner despot and shakes things up down under. My only quibbles are a somewhat off putting scene with a lady giant, and the phrase 'to be continued' at the end of the book...Sequel teaser notwithstanding, it's a lot of fun. Recommended.
The Good Place meets Haunted
Ok, so I know this book gets a lot of hate but I enjoyed it after a certain point. It does start off very slow by trying to describe Hell and the plot points do seem to jump but once you get the flow, it goes much easier.
The only other book I've read by Chuck was Haunted, which is amazing, but this one is still good. It's very satirical and not nearly as descriptive as Haunted, but it is more funny and you can't help but enjoy the ridiculous people you meet.
It paints a fun picture of the afterlife with some bizarre characters and leads to somewhere fun. I do think he could've gotten there quicker but overall, it was fun.
Ok, so I know this book gets a lot of hate but I enjoyed it after a certain point. It does start off very slow by trying to describe Hell and the plot points do seem to jump but once you get the flow, it goes much easier.
The only other book I've read by Chuck was Haunted, which is amazing, but this one is still good. It's very satirical and not nearly as descriptive as Haunted, but it is more funny and you can't help but enjoy the ridiculous people you meet.
It paints a fun picture of the afterlife with some bizarre characters and leads to somewhere fun. I do think he could've gotten there quicker but overall, it was fun.
A mix of "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret," "The Breakfast Club" and a tween novel all rolled into one. It was a fun read. Not great, not terrible either.
I desperately wanted to like this book and about 60% in, when Madison gets the job in the call center, I had a feeling like I got from reading my favorites of his (Choke, Lullaby, Etc.). Unfortunately, that feeling just didn't last. I never related to the main character and the pacing never grabbed me. I think Palahniuk was immensely successful in creating a truly banal Hell, however (which I think was his intent).