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theraveler 's review for:
Supermarket
by Bobby Hall
This is a freight train of a book, and I read it that fast - one night. A man has just broken up with his long term girlfriend. He comes into some money and decides to finally move out of his mom's house. He gets an apartment and a job at the supermarket. There's a strange cast of characters, and the strangest seems to be the man himself, Flynn.
This is a psychological thriller. A tense read. But it doesn't do anything new. You can see the turns coming for the most part. Hall keeps you on your toes a little bit, and its clear he wants to drive you a little crazy because his narrator isn't necessarily the most reliable guy. But we don't arrive in an unexpected place by the end of the novel. He employs all the things a writer breaking the rules wants to do - like breaking the fourth wall (ugh) and making hip/current references (The Orville?).
I can't say this is bad, especially since this is Hall's first novel. And it's definitely a plus that he can keep your attention.
Separately, there are a few moments in the book where I felt uncomfortable about how race is discussed. Hall is mixed race, but his protagonist is white. These moments feel awkward and unnecessary - they don't add anything other than to lurch you out of Hall's momentum. I wish his editor had told him so.
Overall, I think it's worth as quick a read as I gave it, but I wouldn't spend more time in the supermarket than necessary.
This is a psychological thriller. A tense read. But it doesn't do anything new. You can see the turns coming for the most part. Hall keeps you on your toes a little bit, and its clear he wants to drive you a little crazy because his narrator isn't necessarily the most reliable guy. But we don't arrive in an unexpected place by the end of the novel. He employs all the things a writer breaking the rules wants to do - like breaking the fourth wall (ugh) and making hip/current references (The Orville?).
I can't say this is bad, especially since this is Hall's first novel. And it's definitely a plus that he can keep your attention.
Separately, there are a few moments in the book where I felt uncomfortable about how race is discussed. Hall is mixed race, but his protagonist is white. These moments feel awkward and unnecessary - they don't add anything other than to lurch you out of Hall's momentum. I wish his editor had told him so.
Overall, I think it's worth as quick a read as I gave it, but I wouldn't spend more time in the supermarket than necessary.