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hkveit's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Self harm, Racism, and Gore
Minor: Animal cruelty
tarrowood's review against another edition
4.0
I debated a lot while reading this on how I really felt about it. There are times that it feels so sprawled out narratively that it just feels like too much; yet, somehow Donald Ray Pollock brings it all back and shows how everything runs together. There are many ways Pollock shows off his idea of interconnectedness in The Heavenly Table: he uses his characters, the plot, the things people buy, the war, and so much more.
My biggest complaints are the fact that this idea that everything is connected left me wanting more of certain characters (such as the barkeep Pollard).
I also loved the less than subtle ode to McCarthy via the McCarthy hotel. I love seeing the McCarthian ideals subtlety pushing through this book.
My biggest complaints are the fact that this idea that everything is connected left me wanting more of certain characters (such as the barkeep Pollard).
I also loved the less than subtle ode to McCarthy via the McCarthy hotel. I love seeing the McCarthian ideals subtlety pushing through this book.
abbyc423's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
geoffwood's review against another edition
5.0
All right, like, I loved his other two books, but this is just next level, like an ultra-graphic Charles Portis. He juggles a cast of like 50 and everyone has a detailed, horrifying backstory, they're all unique, and it all ties together so perfectly. Just thinking about how much plotting and rewriting went into this bothers me. Weirdly close to a hang out book for how disgusting much of it is. Maybe one of my top ~ten books ever, I'll have to digest.
ardelle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
billymac1962's review against another edition
5.0
Damn, this was good.
I've been holding off reading this one, because once I read it, I'll have read everything to date from Donald Ray Pollock. See, this guy worked over thirty years in a paper mill in Ohio before releasing his collection of short stories (Knockemstiff), and then his excellently depraved The Devil All the Time. He is now 65 years old, this marvelous writer with but two novels to his name. I am impatiently waiting for more.
I loved The Devil All the Time. It was exactly the type of story structure I enjoy, with converging storylines, but hooboy, the damaged characters. It was one of those books you had to be careful who you recommended it to. But so great to those of us who dig the low places vicariously.
The Heavenly Table is, gloriously, his best work yet.
This is set around 1917 Ohio, and mainly focuses on three brothers just, tryin' to git along...
As is Pollock's style, there are a few storylines and side characters in the mix and all will converge eventually.
Throughout reading this, tearing through this, I couldn't help thinking how the presentation of story was so much like the brilliant Fargo series, and movie for that matter. Hey, throw some Pulp Fiction similarities in there, too. I could totally see the Coen Brothers making this novel a smash hit.
I'm not going to divulge a word of plot, you all know me better than that.
But, do note that Pollock will make you squirm. He will also make you feel compassion for the most unlikely of characters. This is brilliance.
The only unfortunate thing about this novel is I now have a severe case of book hangover. Five easy stars and likely to be one of my top five of the year (no pressure there, to-read contestants, but the gauntlet's been dropped).
Stay healthy, Mr Pollock. Keep writing. I'll wait.
I've been holding off reading this one, because once I read it, I'll have read everything to date from Donald Ray Pollock. See, this guy worked over thirty years in a paper mill in Ohio before releasing his collection of short stories (Knockemstiff), and then his excellently depraved The Devil All the Time. He is now 65 years old, this marvelous writer with but two novels to his name. I am impatiently waiting for more.
I loved The Devil All the Time. It was exactly the type of story structure I enjoy, with converging storylines, but hooboy, the damaged characters. It was one of those books you had to be careful who you recommended it to. But so great to those of us who dig the low places vicariously.
The Heavenly Table is, gloriously, his best work yet.
This is set around 1917 Ohio, and mainly focuses on three brothers just, tryin' to git along...
As is Pollock's style, there are a few storylines and side characters in the mix and all will converge eventually.
Throughout reading this, tearing through this, I couldn't help thinking how the presentation of story was so much like the brilliant Fargo series, and movie for that matter. Hey, throw some Pulp Fiction similarities in there, too. I could totally see the Coen Brothers making this novel a smash hit.
I'm not going to divulge a word of plot, you all know me better than that.
But, do note that Pollock will make you squirm. He will also make you feel compassion for the most unlikely of characters. This is brilliance.
The only unfortunate thing about this novel is I now have a severe case of book hangover. Five easy stars and likely to be one of my top five of the year (no pressure there, to-read contestants, but the gauntlet's been dropped).
Stay healthy, Mr Pollock. Keep writing. I'll wait.
murphyslaw09's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
howevernot's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brandonadaniels's review against another edition
3.0
The book starts out great. There are some particularly memorable moments, but it starts to drag on towards the middle.
the_enobee's review against another edition
4.0
This was more like 3.5 stars, but I had to round up because this was so damn compulsively readable. I could not put this down and tore right through it every chance I got. The character development was fantastic, and almost every character could draw some time of sympathy. And if not, it was still interesting as hell to find out what was going to happen to them. The main detraction here was too many digressions into minor character backstories. Any random character mentioned had a two paragraph backstory that, while adding to the reader's fell for the character, was a bit overwhelming when taken as a whole. Definitely worth a read and I will be looking for the rest of Mr. Pollock's work after this.