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woundsdrawflies 's review for:
Haunted
by Chuck Palahniuk
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Chuck Palahniuk makes a strong case for why some writers are the worst people in the world — not in the short (back)stories, which are so horrific they frequently slip into the comedic, but in the way they approach their environment and the people in it, assimilating all they can to sell the perfect story, ultimately to their detriment — and weaves it all together to makes a point about the human addiction to (their own) pain and suffering. With which I don't necessarily agree, but that's irrelevant to the book itself right now.
I usually don't get much out of short story collections, but this one also functions as a complete novel, so if you feel similarly, this collection might still do it for you.
Not for the faint of heart, as you may already know if you've heard anything about this book at all. I don't blame anyone who can't finish the book, especially as there is nary a sympathetic character to be found, and this can make the whole thing feel pointless. I still got enough out of it to keep going though, Mrs. Clark's stories about her daughter give the book sort of a lifeline, and one story in particular struck me as ending on kind of a positive note ("Exodus"), the only one of its kind.
I usually don't get much out of short story collections, but this one also functions as a complete novel, so if you feel similarly, this collection might still do it for you.
Not for the faint of heart, as you may already know if you've heard anything about this book at all. I don't blame anyone who can't finish the book, especially as there is nary a sympathetic character to be found, and this can make the whole thing feel pointless. I still got enough out of it to keep going though, Mrs. Clark's stories about her daughter give the book sort of a lifeline, and one story in particular struck me as ending on kind of a positive note ("Exodus"), the only one of its kind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Transphobia, Cannibalism, Murder
Moderate: Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Incest