My Name Is Russell Fink (Paperback)

by Michael Snyder (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In his debut novel, Snyder offers a hearty dose of lad lit. Russell Fink sells copiers—a job he hates—and is engaged to a controlling wannabe actress he doesn't love. He still lives at home, has lost faith in his televangelist, miracle-working father and occasionally doses the family dog with alcohol from his mother's stash. Russell's twin sister, Katie, died of leukemia when they were young, and he's blamed himself ever since. The story is a bit helter-skelter: Russell's brother, Peter, has disappeared and may have been kidnapped. Russell believes his dog was poisoned and is intent on tracking down the animal's killer. He breaks things off with his fiancée, but will he finally admit that he loves his longtime friend Geri? His dad has applied for a new ministry position and needs Russell's help to get the job, but will they make amends? Throw in a number of secrets, some questions of religious faith, a move out of his mom's house and a move in with a perpetually cold new roommate who may or may not be a scientist for NASA, and you have a fairly nutty story. Snyder's writing is inventive and fun, but there are too many crazy characters and rampant story lines, and it may be a bit too edgy and complex for the Christian chick lit crowd. (Mar.)
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Product Description
Russell Fink is twenty-six years old and determined to salvage a job he hates so he can finally move out of his parents house for good. He's convinced he gave his twin sister cancer when they were nine years old. And his crazy fiancée refuses to accept the fact that their engagement really is over.

Then Sonny, his allegedly clairvoyant basset hound, is found murdered.

The ensuing amateur investigation forces Russell to confront several things at once-the enormity of his family's dysfunction, the guy stalking his family, and his long-buried feelings for a most peculiar love interest.

At its heart, My Name Is Russell Fink is a comedy, with sharp dialogue, characters steeped in authenticity, romance, suspense, and fresh humor. With a postmodern style similar to Nick Hornby and Douglas Coupland, the author explores reconciliation, forgiveness, and faith in the midst of tragedy. No amount of neurosis or dysfunction can derail God's redemptive purposes.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (March 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310277272
• ISBN-13: 978-0310277279
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #702,659 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Laughed, I Cried, I Devoured it. , February 15, 2008

By	Kelly Klepfer (Iowa) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

If you are a fan of Ray Blackston, you are going to want to check into Michael Snyder.

With fresh and humorous storytelling, Snyder dumps us into the world of Russell Fink. Russell oozes dysfunction what with being named after his imprisoned grandfather and doomed to inherit his father's double chin. Russell fears the notoriety of both male role models and bad genes have pretty much cooked his own goose. After all, he's already killed once and just awaits the cancer that will surely be his reward.

With a sharp wit and troublesome tongue Russell both severs relationships and endears himself to a quirky cast of characters. Can Russell shed his wacky fiancee so that he can embrace true love? Will Russell ever find faith instead of empty religion? Does Russell deserve anything good or satisfying?

I wanted to hug Russell and make him a homemade meal, or at least pour him a bowl of cereal.

I found myself surprised with a completely unexpected revelation within the story which was nice. My only non-rave, but not big enough to keep it from a five star read, is that the end felt a little rushed with the unraveling of the details. But this was definitely a minor concern. If you must have "all your ducks in a row" in your endings you might have an issue with some ambiguity.

Russell is a satisfying and introspective read. Fans of Annette Smith's A Bigger Life should find it appealing also.

I am a Snyder fan, and am anxiously awaiting the next release. I wouldn't mind a follow-up to Russell, I wasn't quite ready to leave him.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and fun, February 18, 2008

By	Adeline Minerva (Fresno, CA) - See all my reviews

"My Name Is Russell Fink" is about an average, quirky guy who faces unpredicatable changes in his life while negotiating the complexities of relationships. It is a book written from a Christian worldview though it is not blatantly so. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and would compare the writing style to that of Douglas Coupland. The characters are quirky and the story is interesting complete with love, loss, mystery, and a basset hound that gives sage advice. Overall, a light and fun read!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor and heart, February 27, 2008

By	J. Sanders (St. Louis, MO, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I loved the book as very funny and creative character-driven fiction. I hate using the word "quirky" to describe his characters, so I won't use it. I'll call them extra-human; they are flawed but goodness shines through in unexpected places. I couldn't classify this under a genre such as chick-lit, lad-lit, dog-lit, or chicken-soup-for-whatever-group-lit. I mean, how many books besides this one have a clarvoyant dog, a family named "Fink", and will genuinely move you while tickling your funny bone?

In creating Russell Fink, Michael Snyder has crafted something unique that reflects the influence of writers such as Douglas Coupland, Nick Hornby, Ray Blackston, and Carl Hiassen. I'm looking forward to what the author does next.