Scan barcode
maysa_christmas's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
gizmo_42's review against another edition
5.0
Very Interesting short stories, some are very weird but pulled you, a very fun and interesting read
laurapalmreader's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
allbookedup_'s review against another edition
4.0
You’re not going to like every single story with the same enthusiasm in a book of short stories 99% of the time so if you go in thinking every single one of these stories is going to be great you will set yourself up for some level of disappointment.
I did like 85% of these stories. Some of there were pretty grisly and left me feeling like they were done as a pure shock factor more than anything.
The Toad Prince had me feeling actually like I was going to be sick and hoping that I didn’t read too deep and actually imagine anything that was happening. Just thinking about the story has me feeling queasy with disgust.
Folklore, Romance, and Mister Elegant were some of my favorites from this book. Mister Elegant is about a male stripper in a knock off Chippendales costume and the struggle of timing and being the best performer. Of course there is a twist and you're left feeling slightly embarrassed for the main character but that's half the fun.
I did like 85% of these stories. Some of there were pretty grisly and left me feeling like they were done as a pure shock factor more than anything.
The Toad Prince had me feeling actually like I was going to be sick and hoping that I didn’t read too deep and actually imagine anything that was happening. Just thinking about the story has me feeling queasy with disgust.
Folklore, Romance, and Mister Elegant were some of my favorites from this book. Mister Elegant is about a male stripper in a knock off Chippendales costume and the struggle of timing and being the best performer. Of course there is a twist and you're left feeling slightly embarrassed for the main character but that's half the fun.
kandicez's review against another edition
1.0
I must admit to flipping through most of the stories in this volume past the first three. I can really only review one, with any sort of knowledge or intelligence, because I just didn’t care for any of the others, so I’ll review Zombies and leave it at that.
Zombies was a terrific story! I wish a YA writer would have come up with this idea and written a novel, because that’s a novel I’d like to read. There is an epidemic of sorts among the teens of the United States. When they become overwhelmed with life, and let’s be honest, what teen hasn’t at some point, they check out by zapping their temples with the defibrilators found in emergency AED kits.
What an amazing basis for a story. They don’t commit suicide, they just give themselves this permanent, mental vacation knowing they may not remember their name or how to use the toilet, but they will still be alive. They will need to be cared for the rest of their lives, but that’s no skin off their nose.
I think this is a terrific allegory for a lot of youth today. Never have there been as many adults living with their parents indefinitely. Career college students. Deadbeat dads. Absentee, young moms. It’s ridiculous. Yes, being an adult in today’s society is hard. You can’t make more than minimum wage without college degrees, housing is out of this world, both parents have to work to have any hope of ends meeting, etc., etc., etc. You can’t live on minimum wage. Not even in squalor, but this doesn’t excuse the despondency of youth of today. They need a wake up call.
I love how Palahniuk treats the subject and presents it in such a matter of fact voice. Why, oh why, couldn’t he have done that will all the stories here? Too many of these installments felt “gimicky” and forced. I know that Palahniuk uses shock as a story telling tool, and I’m ok with that, but even the first story, which is a sad remembrance of a young man losing his father was just too much. Shock I can handle. Profanity I can handle. I can even handle racism when it’s handled in a realistic way, but this was simply too much.
I think I will be leaving good old Chuck on the shelf for a while now. I have been disappointed by him too many times in the recent past to give him a fair chance anytime soon.
Zombies was a terrific story! I wish a YA writer would have come up with this idea and written a novel, because that’s a novel I’d like to read. There is an epidemic of sorts among the teens of the United States. When they become overwhelmed with life, and let’s be honest, what teen hasn’t at some point, they check out by zapping their temples with the defibrilators found in emergency AED kits.
What an amazing basis for a story. They don’t commit suicide, they just give themselves this permanent, mental vacation knowing they may not remember their name or how to use the toilet, but they will still be alive. They will need to be cared for the rest of their lives, but that’s no skin off their nose.
I think this is a terrific allegory for a lot of youth today. Never have there been as many adults living with their parents indefinitely. Career college students. Deadbeat dads. Absentee, young moms. It’s ridiculous. Yes, being an adult in today’s society is hard. You can’t make more than minimum wage without college degrees, housing is out of this world, both parents have to work to have any hope of ends meeting, etc., etc., etc. You can’t live on minimum wage. Not even in squalor, but this doesn’t excuse the despondency of youth of today. They need a wake up call.
I love how Palahniuk treats the subject and presents it in such a matter of fact voice. Why, oh why, couldn’t he have done that will all the stories here? Too many of these installments felt “gimicky” and forced. I know that Palahniuk uses shock as a story telling tool, and I’m ok with that, but even the first story, which is a sad remembrance of a young man losing his father was just too much. Shock I can handle. Profanity I can handle. I can even handle racism when it’s handled in a realistic way, but this was simply too much.
I think I will be leaving good old Chuck on the shelf for a while now. I have been disappointed by him too many times in the recent past to give him a fair chance anytime soon.
beardedbarista's review against another edition
5.0
Chuck Palahniuk will go down as one of the greatest writers of all time and it seems like every year he becomes more and more relevant. This book has its ups and downs for me but I know it is super deep and I blame my self for not being adequately intelligent to understand some of the work. I hope to re read all of his books one day and be like oh yeah shit how did I not get that!? Hearing some of these stories read aloud by Chuck a few months ago was definitely a privilege and getting to meet and speak with him in person just makes me love this and all of his work even more.
Also I think he might have topped the cake or what ever with one of the stories in this book... super fucking crazy. I wont tell you which story. you will have to read the book and you will know which one I speak of :)
Love you good readers,
Justin
Also I think he might have topped the cake or what ever with one of the stories in this book... super fucking crazy. I wont tell you which story. you will have to read the book and you will know which one I speak of :)
Love you good readers,
Justin
kimjamlee's review against another edition
4.0
This is, by far, my favorite Chuck P. book that I've read.
Out of the 23 short stories included in this book, my favorites include The Facts of Life (this utterly bizarre, disgusting story made me laugh), Smoke, Why Aardvark Never Landed on the Moon, Fetch, and Inclinations.
With every story, I never knew what was coming. And I guess that's the reason why I really enjoyed this book. And it's bizarre, it's weird, and I love it.
Out of the 23 short stories included in this book, my favorites include The Facts of Life (this utterly bizarre, disgusting story made me laugh), Smoke, Why Aardvark Never Landed on the Moon, Fetch, and Inclinations.
With every story, I never knew what was coming. And I guess that's the reason why I really enjoyed this book. And it's bizarre, it's weird, and I love it.
_cherish's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
1.75
Love me a good C.P. story, but apparently none of these.