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toddlleopold 's review for:
The Ask
by Sam Lipsyte
I almost never give up on a book -- especially when, like this one, it's for my book club. But "The Ask" asked for too much.
I admire Lipsyte's ability with words, which explains the rating of two stars instead of one, but besides that, the book holds virtually no interest for me. The lead character is irritating and shows little depth; what's worse, so do the other characters. Yeah, it's satire, but even satire allows for three dimensions. And I couldn't see it going anywhere. (Of course I read some reviews afterwards, and I don't regret my decision to stop a third of the way in.)
Lipsyte has been compared with Martin Amis for his facility with words and scathing, take-no-prisoners descriptions. But I would argue that Amis has bigger fish to fry; he isn't just creating straw men for the sake of bitter jokes. Compare also with Gary Shteyngart, who can be glib as well, but there's a sympathy and self-deprecation in Shteyngart's writing. Lipsyte is just mean, an incredibly verbal and nasty stand-up comedian. It gets tiresome very quickly. Even Evelyn Waugh, who can be REALLY mean, cared about more than just throwing a few daggers.
So I'm sorry, "The Ask." I just didn't have any more to give.
I admire Lipsyte's ability with words, which explains the rating of two stars instead of one, but besides that, the book holds virtually no interest for me. The lead character is irritating and shows little depth; what's worse, so do the other characters. Yeah, it's satire, but even satire allows for three dimensions. And I couldn't see it going anywhere. (Of course I read some reviews afterwards, and I don't regret my decision to stop a third of the way in.)
Lipsyte has been compared with Martin Amis for his facility with words and scathing, take-no-prisoners descriptions. But I would argue that Amis has bigger fish to fry; he isn't just creating straw men for the sake of bitter jokes. Compare also with Gary Shteyngart, who can be glib as well, but there's a sympathy and self-deprecation in Shteyngart's writing. Lipsyte is just mean, an incredibly verbal and nasty stand-up comedian. It gets tiresome very quickly. Even Evelyn Waugh, who can be REALLY mean, cared about more than just throwing a few daggers.
So I'm sorry, "The Ask." I just didn't have any more to give.