A review by sethlewisrice
The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West

4.0

2024 favourites in no particular order

#11 Nathanael West - ‘The Day of the Locust’ (1939)

An artist seeks inspiration under the corrupt, violently aspirational canopy of Hollywood. Simmers for a little bit and then keeps on exploding. A book about how an American Dream, sold as a right to all, is, in fact, a shifty substance harboured by chance and sacrifice. A beautiful character with no talent beats her head against her limitations; a recluse is ignored at a party in his own home; identities devolve into caricature. With this book, West says two very important things:

1. What you have to do to ‘make it’ in a system like Hollywood might not be worth it, artistically and psychologically.
2. It is never clear what ‘making it’ ever even looks like.

Killer final line.

4.5 stars