Reviews

Jesus' Son: Stories by Denis Johnson

kidclamp's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A series of connected short stories showcasing addiction and recovery

jestintzi's review against another edition

5.0

A very good friend of mine gave me her copy of this book for my birthday, as it is that book which she gives to everyone (I used to be like that with Catch 22). I adore it, the intensity, the simplicity, the poetic language. Such an odd, gorgeous book.

micah_jenae's review against another edition

1.0

Geez. What is this book? I hate it. Loathe entirely.

pickle_burner's review against another edition

I’ve read this book so many times. It means something different to me now than it did to me when I first read it 20 years ago. This book is written in spare, simple, yet poetic prose. Stories are interconnected thru the voice of the narrator, who is looking back on experiences with drugs and alcohol. When you think it’s going to go left, it goes right and leaves you before some stunning revelation that you can’t quite process and that hits you like a punch in the stomach.

One of my favorite passages, from the story “Work”:

“All the really good times happened when Wayne was around. But this afternoon, somehow, was the best of all those times. We had money. We were grimy and tired. Usually we felt guilty and frightened, because there was something wrong with us, and we didn’t know what it was; but today we had the feeling of men who had worked.”

yogarshi's review against another edition

4.0

Denis Johnson collection of short stories is a set of vignettes about men and women who skirt the edges of crime, and the lives they build for themselves. There is a constant undercurrent of despair in all the stories, but also unexpectedly, hope. Most stories leave you wanting more, so unsurprisingly, my favorite was the voyeuristic 'Beverly Home', one of the longer tales in the book.

sapphicaffair's review against another edition

3.0

I read this one for class and it was okay. It felt like you had to dissect it and really look into the authors meaning to get something out of it though? I don’t know, it was short and really easy to read. Under 200 pages and just a collection of short stories that build one big story. I think this could’ve been a great book outside of an academic lense: it’s a book about an addict reminiscing over his life and his journey from his lowest points and slowly getting hope. however the academic class discussion made it feel like maybe there was more? And I just wasn’t seeing that deeper meaning? Overall, this was an okay read and while I didn’t love the character, I understood him and could imagine a lot of what’s happening. This one wasn’t bad.

dotorsojak's review against another edition

4.0

4.25 stars

Sort of Carveresque, though also a bit of Isaac Babel in there too.

Stark, but highly recommended.

tracithomas's review against another edition

2.0

Good writing. Very writer-ish. Unreliable narrator and collection all from his vantage point. Drugs violence and generally messed up people. Good but nothing great for me. If you’re a writer I feel like you’d appreciate this.

e_gribbins's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

ktjawrites's review against another edition

5.0

Read this book, watch the film adaptation, and then you can talk into my bullet hole.