Customer Reviews

Blue Paige

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay. First let me say that I'm a friend of Danny Vinik's. Just so you know. People read my books and some write nasty comments saying it must be my friends who are saying the nice stuff. And that sucks because it isn't really true. I'm not here to cheerlead. I want to tell you my true reaction to this book.

Here's how it goes. Danny told me his new book came out so I went and got a copy (right here at Amazon, I might add). I'd read Danny's work before, so I knew to expect the unexpected, the sexually wierd, the literarily different. Frankly, I thought an entire book by Danny might just be a bit hard to read.

In fact, I found the book to be totally engaging. I started it and kept on reading 'til there was no more reading to do.

The characters are compelling. Outrageous? Perhaps, but then again--I've known people like these. Complex, operating on varied strata.

They're interesting. They're vulnerable. They're weird.

They're human. Paradox, paradox, paradox.

I noticed right away that the story is very Silko-esque in her apocolyptic mode, early Robbins in its characterizations, and a bit like Nichols in both character and place.

But the whispering of these other authors doesn't dilute. Rather, they serve to inspire Vinik's own unique voice and perspective. This is made complete with a book that is truly edgy and artistic, using different fonts, symbols, and other images to create and fulfill the various moods of the book.

I'm not too thrilled with the cover art. It's interesting in and of itself, but I think it's too visually upsetting for people who might otherwise find the internal content compelling. I think this serves to reduce rather than entice audience. From an artistic perspective, it works. From a marketing perspective, it's a dangerous choice to have made.

Whether you can swallow the cover image or not, do read the book. You might hate it or love it, but I guarantee you've never, ever, read anything quite like it before.

--Molly E. Holzschlag

This book raised as many questions as it answered for me. Reeling reeking questions about gender, sexuality, displacement and the geography of the dark side. I was so wrapped up in it's edgy pacing I couldn't put it down. I also found the structure provocative and presaging the next millennium.Very adventurous, go there if you dare!

I smiled at the painfully contrived text on the back cover. It seemed obvious to me as if every word was hinged on another by right angles and complete opposition to the norm. I would liken it to a literary crossword puzzle.

If Vinik could only write a complex abstraction of his bizzare thoughts using Hemmingway's gift of simplicity and still cover his agenda, I wouldn't be so focused on the forced words he has written. It would have been much more enjoyable to read if I hadn't been whacked on the head constantly by his struggle to write it.

I will bet $100 he kicked his dog as he wrote it.

I wanted so much to like this book, but it was impossible. Too much of the same old same old. Mr Vinik needs to learn the difference between being "making a point" and "beating a dead horse."

Vinik is the "second best writer in America today"? Dare I ask who the FIRST is? Takes more than fancy fonts and constant derogatory references to genitalia to make a great book. Try again, Danny.

where the hell are you? in tucson, or in l.a.? 5-12-99 De Los Santo