Customer Reviews

The Motel Life: A Novel (P.S.)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this one up on the strength of the copy on the back page and critic's quotes on the cover, and I'm glad I did. The setting is so bleak and the characters so desparate and destitute that it was hard for me to get started, but once I settled in, I found plenty of warmth and tenderness to balance out the hard luck stories of the two main characters.

The novel isn't perfect - it's a little too derivative of "Of Mice And Men" to be considered an original work. And the plot simply doesn't have a lot of depth or development to it; the flashbacks and the stories the younger brother makes up to pass the time aren't enough to flesh the book out into a major work. But you can't beat "The Motel Life" for atmosphere or dialog. The "extras" at the end of the book (interview with the author, author's guide to Reno. etc) are a nice touch, so I can't really complain about the short page count for the price of a trade paperback.

Really good stuff. I hope Vlautin continues to write and to grow as an author.

I liked this book a lot.

The down and out directionless lifestyle novel is a genre I would not normally read. If this book had been longer I would most probably have given up but I am glad I finished it. An American once described to me that the USA is like a donut, the East and West Coasts and a big hole in the middle. Reading this novel reminded me of that observation as the story of two brothers living a hand to mouth existence and where life seemed to be perpetually repetitive: centred on beer, films on TV and every so often hitting the road. What warmed me to the book was the endearing fraternity between the brothers and it is this that Vlautin captures very well. The stories Frank makes up for Jerry Lee together with the dog were welcome relief from the otherwise bleak life.

The linear narrative of the story with some flshbacks isn't bad, but I wanted the characters to be fleshed out a bit more.I want to know more of their thoughts and motivations other than just, "Mom died." The lives of these young men is depressing but they represent a good part of society. I have seen many disenfranchised students like them in my teaching career. I liked the authenticity of the setting--actual places in Nevada -and I thought the book ended on a somewhat hopeful note.

I wanted to like this novel more. Willy Vlautin is not a bad writer. In fact, he's quite talented at painting a vivid setting. Sometimes I felt as if I was a fly on the wall of Frank's various shabby motel rooms, and I could practically feel the chill in the air as the story unfolded during a harsh Nevada winter.

I must agree with other reviewers that the characters did not seem fully developed. This, in part, is why it was difficult for me to be more sympathetic toward them. There is no doubt that the main character, Frank, and his brother, Jerry Lee, have suffered and been emotionally stunted by terrible circumstances largely beyond their control. But the readers know this mostly because the author *tells* them rather than *shows* them.

This isn't a long novel -- just over 200 pages, but it felt much longer. The story became repetitive because the plot, like the characters, lacked depth.

Unfortunately, I don't think I would recommend this book to most readers, however, I do think Mr. Vlautin has the potential to write a rich and moving story, and I would read more from him.

Willy Vlautin needs to slow down and flesh out his characters...for his readers' sake. I think we would care more if we knew these two brothers better. There are mere glimpses of the men wanting to do what's right but not enough. I loved the descriptions of the seedy side of Reno. I have observed these disenfranchised people that live for years in one room, with a hot plate and a bottle of whiskey. It wouild be a better story if we knew more about how these brothers got to where they are. Willy writes in a hurry and that's too bad.

This book haunts me days after I've finished it. I'm from Reno and the desperation and monotony of the area he captured authentically. I found the book to be very realistic considering the situation Jerry Lee and Frank found themselves in. The writing is simple, not heavy on metaphors so that the message of the book comes through loud and clear. Willy Vlautin is truly a gifted writer and storyteller. The novel was sad without being melodramatic, it had me convinced the two brothers were going to make it and everything would work out for them somehow, because it had to! Something happened in the end that truly shocked me and rocked me leaving my mouth hanging on the floor, I felt like these two guys could have been some of my oldest and best friends and I was on their journey with them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This book demonstrates that when life seems bleak, you feel completely worthless, and are down on your knees struggling in the darkness, if you follow your heart you will find a sliver of light somewhere.

Vlautin's simple, spare prose brings his characters as well as downtown Reno to life. The Flannigan brothers may live on the fringe of society, but they stayed central in my thoughts long after I turned the last page. I was pleased to see that Vlautin's skill as a songwriter for Richmond Fontaine translates equally well to his written work.

The Motel Life is narrated by a young man named Frank. Its about him and his brother Jerry Lee. Two unfortunate individuals who find themselves trapped on one of the lowermost rungs of America's socioeconomic ladder. The novel takes place in Reno, NV where Frank and Jerry Lee live marginalized lives. Rooms in cheap residential motels, low paying jobs, junk food from mini-marts and plenty of alcohol to numb the pain of the hideously sad circumstances they have no choice but to endure.

This is a remarkably moving book. As you read it, you will soon notice a rather uncomfortable sensation deep in your gut. And that sensation is the result of one thing and one thing only. Willy Vlautin has succeeded where so many other novelists fail. The words he puts down on paper are the truth. The undeniable reality of what he has written has a visceral impact that stays with the reader. Highly recommended.

This book is at times cute, at times witty, and at times heartbreaking. The story of two aimless brothers and their boring, pointless lives in Reno, "Motel Life" is a solid read. Tragedy sets the two brothers on a road trip together, but this is no buddy story about bonding while traveling. It is one character's realization that his life is going nowhere and that he needs to find a way to change that before he gets to the point where his rut is inevitable. Along the way, his brother is going through a journey of his own, full of guilt and fear and desperation for his role in a terrible accident.

With great descriptions of Reno (a place I've never been) and the surrounding areas, "Motel Life" is a character piece first. What it lacks in plot it makes up for in enjoyable dialogue and great, well-rounded characters.

I just want to say that this is such a good book! It was like taking a trip on the mean streets of the down and out. The two brothers are beautiful and so broken that you wince when you are exposed to their lives. Yet this book is so full of hope and joy that you can't help but feel it too! Like reading a street version of the Psalms! Well realized characters and a smooth flowing plot that while it seems that it goes nowhere when you finish the book you are surprised at how far the trip took you and where you ended up. READ THIS BOOK!