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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Moving and relatable, a tale of how those of us who have few advantages make it work. A flawed, but compelling character. Such a moving novel from an author I will follow from now on.
Noir Was The Night
Review of the Harper Perennial paperback edition (May 17, 2022) of the original Harper hardcover (April 6, 2021)
This book has a deceptive opening but very soon it plunges into a maelstrom of desperation and crime (not all of which is initiated by the protagonist) as she makes a last ditch attempt to salvage a home purchase for her family of a mother and developmentally challenged brother. Lynette is leading a hard scrabble existence with two shift jobs as a baker and a bartender, working to save money towards what she sees as a longed for mark of stability in the fast growing housing market in Portland, Oregon, USA.
When her mother reneges on a deal to make a house loan, Lynette tries to call in all possible debts to make up further funding for the purchase of their rundown house. The overnight attempt takes her on a harrowing journey through sex work, car theft, burglary, safe cracking, and drug dealing, not to mention being the potential victim of two attempted murderous assaults.
Photograph of the exterior of the Hotcake House in Portland, Oregon, one of the locations in "The Night Always Comes". Image sourced from Wikipedia.
This was a compulsively readable thriller which has you rooting for the underdog protagonist all the way, even when she may not be the most likeable character or the maker of the best decisions. Normally the tags of 'noir' and 'hardboiled' are used for the detective genre, but they are completely appropriate for this domestic family drama. My thanks to GR Friend Berengaria's 4.5-5 star review which alerted me to this book.
Soundtrack, Trivia and Links
As author Willy Vlautin is also a musician and songwriter for the band The Delines, the group released a limited edition album as the soundtrack for The Night Always Comes which is freely available for download through a QR code printed on the back of the Harper Perennial paperback. The full track listing can be seen on Discogs and a video single was released as Don't Think Less of Me.
A book trailer which shows some of the locations mentioned in The Night Always Comes can be seen here.
Author Vlautin is interviewed on the book's release by the Poisoned Pen bookstore YouTube channel here.
Author Vlautin is interviewed on the book's release by Oregon Public Broadcasting and you can read the interview at Willy Vlautin’s new novel is a melancholic love letter to working-class Portland.
Review of the Harper Perennial paperback edition (May 17, 2022) of the original Harper hardcover (April 6, 2021)
This book has a deceptive opening but very soon it plunges into a maelstrom of desperation and crime (not all of which is initiated by the protagonist) as she makes a last ditch attempt to salvage a home purchase for her family of a mother and developmentally challenged brother. Lynette is leading a hard scrabble existence with two shift jobs as a baker and a bartender, working to save money towards what she sees as a longed for mark of stability in the fast growing housing market in Portland, Oregon, USA.
When her mother reneges on a deal to make a house loan, Lynette tries to call in all possible debts to make up further funding for the purchase of their rundown house. The overnight attempt takes her on a harrowing journey through sex work, car theft, burglary, safe cracking, and drug dealing, not to mention being the potential victim of two attempted murderous assaults.
Photograph of the exterior of the Hotcake House in Portland, Oregon, one of the locations in "The Night Always Comes". Image sourced from Wikipedia.
This was a compulsively readable thriller which has you rooting for the underdog protagonist all the way, even when she may not be the most likeable character or the maker of the best decisions. Normally the tags of 'noir' and 'hardboiled' are used for the detective genre, but they are completely appropriate for this domestic family drama. My thanks to GR Friend Berengaria's 4.5-5 star review which alerted me to this book.
Soundtrack, Trivia and Links
As author Willy Vlautin is also a musician and songwriter for the band The Delines, the group released a limited edition album as the soundtrack for The Night Always Comes which is freely available for download through a QR code printed on the back of the Harper Perennial paperback. The full track listing can be seen on Discogs and a video single was released as Don't Think Less of Me.
A book trailer which shows some of the locations mentioned in The Night Always Comes can be seen here.
Author Vlautin is interviewed on the book's release by the Poisoned Pen bookstore YouTube channel here.
Author Vlautin is interviewed on the book's release by Oregon Public Broadcasting and you can read the interview at Willy Vlautin’s new novel is a melancholic love letter to working-class Portland.
I saw Willy Vlautin being interviewed, and I know the team at Harper Collins is really high on his books, so I finally got around to reading one of his books. I am glad that I did. Willy Vlautin is an excellent writer, and he writes this time about a difficult and depressing situation for his main character. There was a lot of depth and realism to his characters, and my heart ached for Lynette's situation. I was frustrated by the bad choices she made but could understand how she made them. The book makes for an interesting study. As Lynette was trying to better herself and her situation, she couldn't quite break free of her old bad tendencies, She had obstacles that were difficult to overcome, but this pointed out the additional challenges of someone who is on the edge and has had mental issues and a bad situation in life. The struggles are often greater for so many who are disenfranchised. I highly recommend this book.
This book has been selected as a Library Reads book for April.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for review.
This book has been selected as a Library Reads book for April.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy for review.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
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
I shall like to see this as a film with less dialogue than the book.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced