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A review by crispymerola
Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread by Chuck Palahniuk
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Chuck is great at writing incredibly engaging stories with schlock endings.
He has it down to a science. More than half of the stories in this collection have perfectly reasonable end points that I could identify, down to the last word and period - plus another few pages that swerve the story into absurd territory.
Sometimes, it works - there are some shock endings in here that really fit the stories thematically, upon reflection. Other times, I think our boy is just fucking with me. Either way, I'm here for it.
There are no complete duds in here, save for Expedition (though it does have the funniest, least cringe Fight Club reference). Zombies, Red Sultan's Big Boy, Torcher, Fetch, and Inclinations are fantastic. Loser might be one of my favorite short stories, period.
He has it down to a science. More than half of the stories in this collection have perfectly reasonable end points that I could identify, down to the last word and period - plus another few pages that swerve the story into absurd territory.
Sometimes, it works - there are some shock endings in here that really fit the stories thematically, upon reflection. Other times, I think our boy is just fucking with me. Either way, I'm here for it.
There are no complete duds in here, save for Expedition (though it does have the funniest, least cringe Fight Club reference). Zombies, Red Sultan's Big Boy, Torcher, Fetch, and Inclinations are fantastic. Loser might be one of my favorite short stories, period.