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A review by petermcdade
The Smiths' Meat Is Murder by Joe Pernice
3.0
I love the idea of interspersing novels in the 33 1/3 series, and I could certainly relate to the shy, asthmatic teen, even if I don't share his love for The Smiths. The writing is a bit uneven, with captivating passages on one page offset with formulaic stuff on the next, but I was also hooked from the beginning, and finished reading quickly.
The biggest problem for me was how unfinished it felt. It's like Pernice circled around the main story without ever diving in. I could have used a lot less of the narrator's interior moaning, and more of the interesting characters he's just beginning to collect as potential posse members when the book abruptly ends. There's always an opening scene that feels completely unnecessary
That said, I also found the ending touching. The last line, combined with the way the novel does a good job of hinting at how a record can save your life, especially when you're a teen, bumps this one up to three stars.
The biggest problem for me was how unfinished it felt. It's like Pernice circled around the main story without ever diving in. I could have used a lot less of the narrator's interior moaning, and more of the interesting characters he's just beginning to collect as potential posse members when the book abruptly ends. There's always an opening scene that feels completely unnecessary
That said, I also found the ending touching. The last line, combined with the way the novel does a good job of hinting at how a record can save your life, especially when you're a teen, bumps this one up to three stars.