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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
The storytelling in this book is excellent. And I think that in the end, that is what I enjoyed most about this book. The plot was interesting, but didn't really end up going anywhere - but I was ok with that because the journey that the author took me on was interesting and fitting for this book. A very good, relaxing, and fast read. This story of two brothers and their very interesting career choice was well worth my time.
I picked up this book a while ago and struggled to get into the book. After about a week off and on I admit I gave up. Just seemed random and not focused enough to hold my attention. About two weeks ago my friend Brennen rated the book over on Goodreads and it made me want to take another look at the book. For some reason, this time the book clicked for me.
The book is like a Joel and Ethan Coen film: a little strange, quirky and funny, and in the end someone is getting screwed. The cover is a masterpiece and was the original reason I picked up the book.
Patrick deWitt has taken a genre that sadly seems to be forgotten these days, that good old Western, and throw in some of our much-liked weirdness. Well, weird is probably incorrect, quirky is a much better fit. Told through one of the brother's view point, the tale wanders a bit around and seems almost like a journal written by a guy wandering the old west. I really struggled through the mid-section of the book as it seemed to wander aimlessly about, but when the last third of the book came along and the book really straightened out and got interesting. I think the addition of the two characters towards the end really gave the reader a wider view of the world the characters inhabit.
Overall I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoy Coen film and a western to boot. The characters are interesting and go through a unique adventure.
The book is like a Joel and Ethan Coen film: a little strange, quirky and funny, and in the end someone is getting screwed. The cover is a masterpiece and was the original reason I picked up the book.
Patrick deWitt has taken a genre that sadly seems to be forgotten these days, that good old Western, and throw in some of our much-liked weirdness. Well, weird is probably incorrect, quirky is a much better fit. Told through one of the brother's view point, the tale wanders a bit around and seems almost like a journal written by a guy wandering the old west. I really struggled through the mid-section of the book as it seemed to wander aimlessly about, but when the last third of the book came along and the book really straightened out and got interesting. I think the addition of the two characters towards the end really gave the reader a wider view of the world the characters inhabit.
Overall I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoy Coen film and a western to boot. The characters are interesting and go through a unique adventure.
“He closed the door and moved to his room and I lay in the dark thinking about the difficulties of family, how crazy and crooked the stories of bloodline can be”.
This is a strange book. Not because its bad, far from that actually, but because I can’t pinpoint what exactly I like about it. The obvious answer would probably be the Old Western style and the moments of comedy that riddle the story, but I feel as though that isn’t succinct enough to answer the question of why I like the book so much. I can say that one of my favorite things about this story was that DeWitt allowed the complex narrator to remain complex throughout the entire story. You get to know Eli, the narrator, as someone who feels like a shell of his true self. With each passing day he loses more and more of what it means for himself to feel any emotion beyond anger and that permeates the entire novel. By the end, Eli reaches a point where he believes he’s figured himself out more but still acts in ways that contradict that idea. Never, really, did he do anything evil, but DeWitt made it known that he certainly wasn’t a model citizen even after he had claimed to turn a new leaf. I really like that though because it makes Eli’s self-realization feel more human. Not everyone is perfect all the time.
But I still don’t think that’s what makes this book great to me. It could possibly be the well-written relationship between Eli and Charlie that made me enjoy it so much but I feel like that was more of an expectation than anything. I went into this book fully prepared for a story of two brothers who were fundamentally at odds with either themselves or each other and then eventually coming together and that is (partially) exactly what happened. Again, their relationship has much more of a genuine feel because while we never got too deep into Charlie’s POV, we did get Eli’s thoughts on everything and got to watch how they shifted overtime into something less abrasive. I would like to imagine that beyond the back cover of this novel, Charlie has a change of character, and becomes not like his younger “old-self”, but someone more mature and emotionally intelligent than he had been; from the sound of it, he was well on his way to that and I’m glad DeWitt allowed us at least that sliver of insight from Eli’s end because it’s a good indicator that this story had just as much an effect on Charlie. Which ultimately, would make their bond stronger.
All that to say, maybe I do know why I like this book lmao. It still feels as though there are thoughts I can’t pinpoint but none of them would be negative either way. I really enjoyed this
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
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
3.5 stars.
If the Coen brothers wrote a book, this would probably be it. It has everything that I have come to expect from a Coen brothers movie - bucket loads of irony, dark humour, and vivid characters that each have a unique point of view.
The book is broken down into easily chewable chapters and flows along quite fast. It is more style over substance but of it does have oodles of charm. The choice of narrator was perfect - our typical rowdy with a heart of gold that we somehow always find very relatable. The incidents are all structured to bring out the inherent humour in them and also work to move the plot along. I especially enjoyed the randomly placed Intermission chapters. I wish there had been more of these, but perhaps having more of these would have spoilt the effect of them.
It has a beautiful cover and a quirky enough title that go along with the general feel of the book. Overall, this is a short and fun read.
If the Coen brothers wrote a book, this would probably be it. It has everything that I have come to expect from a Coen brothers movie - bucket loads of irony, dark humour, and vivid characters that each have a unique point of view.
The book is broken down into easily chewable chapters and flows along quite fast. It is more style over substance but of it does have oodles of charm. The choice of narrator was perfect - our typical rowdy with a heart of gold that we somehow always find very relatable. The incidents are all structured to bring out the inherent humour in them and also work to move the plot along. I especially enjoyed the randomly placed Intermission chapters. I wish there had been more of these, but perhaps having more of these would have spoilt the effect of them.
It has a beautiful cover and a quirky enough title that go along with the general feel of the book. Overall, this is a short and fun read.
dark
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm waffling between a two and three star rating, because I think this book was a solid 2.5 stars for me. There's a genuinely interesting commentary about the nature of greed and the illusion of the American Dream, but it comes in about 250 pages into the book. The first 100 pages is a slog, and it takes a long time for the plot to really come together. What didn't help was that the book reminded me a lot of the film Hell or High Water. This wouldn't be a problem if I had read the book first, but because I saw the movie first, I kept making comparisons and that took away from the book's potency.
This quirky and dark tale of outlaws during the Gold Rush reads somewhat like a Coen Brothers story. It is actually so descriptive that you can see the tale, as told by one of the two Sisters Brothers, unfold like a movie. Despite the dark subject matter, I think of this as a fun read.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes