Reviews

Peru by Gordon Lish

drwozniak's review

challenging dark slow-paced

5.0

sisteray's review against another edition

5.0

Here Lish is a fantastic postmodern master. His writing style is exquisite. On top of that, he knows how to tell a story. This is a great exploration of guilt and responsibility, the identification and ownership of feelings, and coping.

The story intertwines three events revolving around one character. One foundational (his killing a child as a child), one sentimental (his preparations dropping his own child off for camp), and the last mundane (watching the news of a violent jailbreak in Peru). It interplay is intriguing and you really grow to care about this character.

It is a lovely, if rather disturbing, book.

jodyjsperling's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed how Lish wrote this book with such a strong character voice. The rhythm and repetition clearly communicated the mental state of the narrator. I don't know how to feel about the irresolution at the novel's end. I would have enjoyed the slightest bit more help from Lish because I kept drifting away to question how the character, given what he confesses, could be in his present situation as a husband and father. Was the narrator never convicted? I know there is some question as to whether the narrator actually did what he confessed to doing, but because I couldn't imagine a plausible way in which he would have ended up where he was if he did do it, the confession read flat, to me, in the end.

kingkong's review against another edition

3.0

This would have been better if it was half as long, but the last 50 pages or so were pretty good so maybe it was all worth it, I don't know

geoffwehmeyer's review

4.0

Reminded me of Thomas Bernhard, how the story and language is so barren that it circles around itself until it strangles you, but in a good way.