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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delicious Foods tells the story of Eddie and his mother Darlene, an addict who is swept away by a mysterious company promising shelter, work, and enough of her drug of choice to keep her going as long as she doesn't ask questions. Soon, she and Eddie are both trapped on a large farm under conditions eerily similar to slavery, ready to risk life and limb (literally!) in order to escape.
The book alternates between Eddie, Darlene, and Scotty, the drug Darlene is addicted to. Scotty is the only "character" who narrates in first person in a very distinct voice which ultimately give it more of a voice than any of the actual people in the novel. I'm not sure how I felt about this narration. On the one hand, I think it mimics the way addiction can take over a life. It's the drug more than Darlene making her decisions and guiding her actions. The drug is more important than everything else, including her own child. On the other hand, I wondered if it muddied the waters too much when it comes to who or what is responsible for all of the horrible things that happen.
Even though the plot of the book seems somewhat fabulist, the entire premise of the farm, the people lured there, and how they're kept there is actually plausible. In fact, the only difference between Delicious Foods and prison is that much of the prison system is technically legal, much like slavery once was. The fact that the vulnerable are still exploited by the powerful makes this story depressingly believable but no less horrifying.
Another aspect of the book that makes it timeless is crossover with mythology and Caribbean Obeah. Eddie is somewhat like Orpheus trying to retrieve Euridice from the underworld. Darlene is a version of Persephone who partakes of a forbidden fruit. There are suspicions of characters performing rituals to keep workers on the farm. I actually wanted a little more clarity on this part since there was only one explicit scene, and it wasn't clear if it really happened or was another result of drug use. Then again, maybe that's the point.
There was one other aspect of the story regarding Darlene and her taste in men that I'm still not convinced fit her character, and I think it's because we get so little of her perspective in favor of the drug's. I wish the book had been a bit more even in the alternation of narratives because, even though I understand how a drug can dominate the story, I am still more interested in the human side.
The book alternates between Eddie, Darlene, and Scotty, the drug Darlene is addicted to. Scotty is the only "character" who narrates in first person in a very distinct voice which ultimately give it more of a voice than any of the actual people in the novel. I'm not sure how I felt about this narration. On the one hand, I think it mimics the way addiction can take over a life. It's the drug more than Darlene making her decisions and guiding her actions. The drug is more important than everything else, including her own child. On the other hand, I wondered if it muddied the waters too much when it comes to who or what is responsible for all of the horrible things that happen.
Even though the plot of the book seems somewhat fabulist, the entire premise of the farm, the people lured there, and how they're kept there is actually plausible. In fact, the only difference between Delicious Foods and prison is that much of the prison system is technically legal, much like slavery once was. The fact that the vulnerable are still exploited by the powerful makes this story depressingly believable but no less horrifying.
Another aspect of the book that makes it timeless is crossover with mythology and Caribbean Obeah. Eddie is somewhat like Orpheus trying to retrieve Euridice from the underworld. Darlene is a version of Persephone who partakes of a forbidden fruit. There are suspicions of characters performing rituals to keep workers on the farm. I actually wanted a little more clarity on this part since there was only one explicit scene, and it wasn't clear if it really happened or was another result of drug use. Then again, maybe that's the point.
There was one other aspect of the story regarding Darlene and her taste in men that I'm still not convinced fit her character, and I think it's because we get so little of her perspective in favor of the drug's. I wish the book had been a bit more even in the alternation of narratives because, even though I understand how a drug can dominate the story, I am still more interested in the human side.
This book was not for me. I could never relate to the characters and reading went slow.
This is one of the most original novels that I've read in a long time. Very refreshing but impactful! Quite well written with a number of really well explored themes including grief, self-medicating, race, and more. The primary narrator is very cleverly done - very unusual frame for a story but one that is quite impactful and added a great deal of creativity to the novel. The story itself was quite engaging although I feel like the pacing was off at times. There was a chunk of the novel towards the middle that felt a little too slow to me and I wished there was more to move the story along. But, other than that, this was a really great novel. I had no idea what I was walking into with this novel and I really think that helped me to enjoy it. I was pleasantly surprised by what the novel was about as I was expecting something completely different based on the title and cover. I recommend heading into this one without a lot of information about it ... just pick it up and immerse yourself. It's definitely worth the read and it gave me a great deal to think about. Very modern and original novel that I'm so glad I read!
Fascinating narrative structure but a bit of a difficult read at times. Due to the narration by Crack cocaine and the general horribleness of the situation, but when it grabbed you, it held. An exquisite piece of writing by James Hannaham.
http://dakimel.blogspot.com/2015/06/delicious-foods.html
Did I know what to expect? Nope.
Did I get way more than I was expecting? Oh, heck yeah.
Our prime players here are Darlene, Eddie, and Scotty. Darlene is Eddie's mom. Scotty is...I'll let Scotty be a surprise. You will be surprised. And maybe a little fascinated and terrified.
And you'll laugh. And then Hannaham will stab you right through your sternum while you laugh. With something jagged and rusty.
There is a section of the novel during which young Eddie searches the summer streets of Houston for his missing mother. He starts near the center of my hometown, biking further and further each night, befriending all manner of hookers and night shift workers and random souls offering him mom-hunting advice. Those pawn shops and diners and strip malls are the same ones I've passed, ignoring pedestrians and bike riders and people seeking the shade of bus shelters while I pilot my air conditioned car, listening to audiobooks about eleven year olds networking with people named Giggles and Fat Back.
See? Jagged and rusty.
But don't worry, you don't have come pre-equipped with visuals of the gritty, hot Houston pavement to be stabbed yourself. Just read this book, then go buy a watermelon or a couple of carrots. Or, hey, turn on the news. And don't say I didn't warn you.
Hannaham is a trickster author, and bonus: a great narrator. I loved the way he modulated his voice according to which of his characters was in charge of the story. Scotty's energy, Eddie's dry young tone, and Darlene's love and loss. I originally planned on reading this instead of listening (author-narrators aren't always this strong), but June is Audiobook Month, so I gave the audio a try, and it was the right choice.
Did I know what to expect? Nope.
Did I get way more than I was expecting? Oh, heck yeah.
Our prime players here are Darlene, Eddie, and Scotty. Darlene is Eddie's mom. Scotty is...I'll let Scotty be a surprise. You will be surprised. And maybe a little fascinated and terrified.
And you'll laugh. And then Hannaham will stab you right through your sternum while you laugh. With something jagged and rusty.
There is a section of the novel during which young Eddie searches the summer streets of Houston for his missing mother. He starts near the center of my hometown, biking further and further each night, befriending all manner of hookers and night shift workers and random souls offering him mom-hunting advice. Those pawn shops and diners and strip malls are the same ones I've passed, ignoring pedestrians and bike riders and people seeking the shade of bus shelters while I pilot my air conditioned car, listening to audiobooks about eleven year olds networking with people named Giggles and Fat Back.
See? Jagged and rusty.
But don't worry, you don't have come pre-equipped with visuals of the gritty, hot Houston pavement to be stabbed yourself. Just read this book, then go buy a watermelon or a couple of carrots. Or, hey, turn on the news. And don't say I didn't warn you.
Hannaham is a trickster author, and bonus: a great narrator. I loved the way he modulated his voice according to which of his characters was in charge of the story. Scotty's energy, Eddie's dry young tone, and Darlene's love and loss. I originally planned on reading this instead of listening (author-narrators aren't always this strong), but June is Audiobook Month, so I gave the audio a try, and it was the right choice.
Really great book. Excellent commentary on addiction, the post-Civil Rights 70s and modern forms of slavery. A little slow after the climax, but a great read nonetheless.
Couldn't get into the story at the moment in time I chose to read this. I liked the beginning but had trouble adjusting to the POV switch.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse
Darlene was a happy wife and mother, that is until her husband Nat is murdered. Stating there isn’t enough evidence to continue the case, Darlene descends on long spiral trip towards crack cocaine, and a life working for Delicious Foods. Leaving her poor eleven-year-old son, Eddie, behind he is left to find her. Reuniting at Delicious Foods their lives become anything close to easy; living in harsh conditions, and with a mother high on the drug, trying to escape is slim to none. This novel definitely told an incredible story of trials and tribulations. The author gives the reader a snippet of what’s to come in the prologue, but it’s nothing like what the reader would come to expect from the novel. It started off slow, but quickly started to pick up momentum as each chapter passed. The points of view in this novel were very well done; Hannaham really gave a voice to the drug that Darlene was hooked on, and truly brought it to life. This novel was something a little different, original, and worth reading.
This book is pretty banana pants, but I actually really liked it. What a strange and unusual way to describe addiction. And a chilling idea of modern indentured servitude.
I can understand why it might have been too crazy for some readers.
I can understand why it might have been too crazy for some readers.
I didn't know anything about this book before I started it, and it really throws you for a loop from the first page (a teenager frantically trying to drive a getaway car, sans hands). There were parts that were a little slow, especially in the first third, and there is a lot of trauma in these pages, but this ultimately turned into a heist-slash-redemption story. I *loved* the ending.