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madmax972 's review for:
Not Forever But For Now
by Chuck Palahniuk
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Picture the Adams family and the adorable killer siblings Wednesday and Pugsley. Now imagine they were both homosexual man-child brothers who have a penchant for killing the help and “having it off” with each other. This book is not for the faint of heart, but will ultimately reward those who have the gut to stick with it till the end. Imagine the graphic imagery of Game of Thrones, but filter it through the voice in which Catcher in the Rye is written. That mid-century slang that Holden uses which makes the serious plot sound much sillier than it is. It honestly took me a little too long to realize what some of the slang used by the narrator meant. All i’ll say now is that playing “Winnie the pooh” and “rusty trombone” and “lady in the lake” is certainly not as innocent as it sounds.
I actually came to really appreciate the voice in which this book was written. The contents were downright vile, disgusting, and very very sinister, but when told through the eyes of two characters who were raised to see all life as either predator or prey, and who were intentionally kept the same age as when their father died, and who are also very spoiled heirs to a wealthy, world-renowned family business of licensed murderers, the story is painted in a much more brighter (but at the same time sick and twisted) light than the dark content calls for. Basically, the narrator describes the violence and murder and graphic content in a non-graphic way. Murder is almost described in the way a child might describe it. This balance of graphic content filtered through an almost “innocent” yet clearly twisted child-like description is actually what makes this book so special. It makes the events that take place much more digestible but also adds a unique feel to the story, as if you were seeing the world the way a psychopath would.
As for the plot, I very much came to enjoy the story that Chuck Palahniuk told. However, it was extremely slow to start, which i think got in the way of the book as a whole. I do understand that Palahniuk wanted to establish the complex characters and their unique way of perceiving the world, but it didnt flow as smoothly as i would have liked, at least until about halfway through the book. Once the plot picked up though, the themes of the story really shined through. It’s impressive that Palahniuk was able to write such vile inhumane characters that are at the same time just as human as the rest of us. There were many times especially towards the end where I actually felt sympathy for them, or at least saw the emotion and love they experienced shine through as they tried so hard to pretend it didnt exist in them.
Overall this book takes some getting used to in order to love it for what it truly is. Themes of growing up in the post-9/11 world, the generational divide, wealth and class privilege, gay rights, gay wrongs, plastic pollution/consumption, corporate greed, and generational trauma.
This book was violent and bloody and extremely gay and at times even campy. So often do we see gay characters in books and movies and tv shows shown in a positive light (even if their story is tragic). Not so often do we see gay characters being the absolute worst humans on earth. It might not be everyones cup of tea, but personally I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two gay brothers wreaking havoc and being fabulously villainous.
I actually came to really appreciate the voice in which this book was written. The contents were downright vile, disgusting, and very very sinister, but when told through the eyes of two characters who were raised to see all life as either predator or prey, and who were intentionally kept the same age as when their father died, and who are also very spoiled heirs to a wealthy, world-renowned family business of licensed murderers, the story is painted in a much more brighter (but at the same time sick and twisted) light than the dark content calls for. Basically, the narrator describes the violence and murder and graphic content in a non-graphic way. Murder is almost described in the way a child might describe it. This balance of graphic content filtered through an almost “innocent” yet clearly twisted child-like description is actually what makes this book so special. It makes the events that take place much more digestible but also adds a unique feel to the story, as if you were seeing the world the way a psychopath would.
As for the plot, I very much came to enjoy the story that Chuck Palahniuk told. However, it was extremely slow to start, which i think got in the way of the book as a whole. I do understand that Palahniuk wanted to establish the complex characters and their unique way of perceiving the world, but it didnt flow as smoothly as i would have liked, at least until about halfway through the book. Once the plot picked up though, the themes of the story really shined through. It’s impressive that Palahniuk was able to write such vile inhumane characters that are at the same time just as human as the rest of us. There were many times especially towards the end where I actually felt sympathy for them, or at least saw the emotion and love they experienced shine through as they tried so hard to pretend it didnt exist in them.
Overall this book takes some getting used to in order to love it for what it truly is. Themes of growing up in the post-9/11 world, the generational divide, wealth and class privilege, gay rights, gay wrongs, plastic pollution/consumption, corporate greed, and generational trauma.
This book was violent and bloody and extremely gay and at times even campy. So often do we see gay characters in books and movies and tv shows shown in a positive light (even if their story is tragic). Not so often do we see gay characters being the absolute worst humans on earth. It might not be everyones cup of tea, but personally I thoroughly enjoyed reading about two gay brothers wreaking havoc and being fabulously villainous.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Murder