Customer Reviews

One D.O.A., One on the Way: A Novel

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

 

 

The book was set originally for publication in spring 2005, then Katrina hit, apparently sending Ms. Robison back to the galleys (I know because I've had an Amazon availability alert for this since at least that time). It's arguable that any novel set in today's New Orleans can avoid at least a passing nod at the catastrophe. Ms. Robison has artfully woven the disaster into her narrative, but just enough so the reader knows it's there, ever omnipresent.

Otherwise, "One D.O.A...." is vintage Robison: full of arch humor, absurdist situations, subtly revealed characters, searing imagery and punch-in-the gut dialogue.

It's a quirky ride through the backwaters of post-Katrina New Orleans and the mindset it has apparently left in its wake.

I spent part of my misspent youth in New Orleans, came out alive, and this book really captures the chaotic, hedonistic sadness that New Orleans, even before Katrina, is to me. I loved it.

One D.O.A. and One on the Way had to be one of the most interesting books I've read in a while. I found the style riveting, but it certainly is not for everyone. If you are a quick thinker, like to read stories about people who one would not necessarily meet very often, unless they had some very idiosyncratic friends, this would be a book for you. The characters are compelling and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. It was almost written in a puzzle that you had to put together.

I didn't think this was as good a book as the reviews had it sounding. It was just ok. The characters were not that interesting and I wondered what the point was of even having some in the book because they didn't add to the story.

In this current turbulent climate, it's amazing that a book of this sort managed to get published - like an indicator species thriving in a stagnant pool, this shows that there is still reason for optimism. This book respects (and tests) the reader's intelligence, while pared into occasionally tweet-sized segments. It's not perfect (as a Scot, the mistaken ref to English Whisky really set my teeth on edge) and occasionally revels in its stance as if dispirited cynicism had just been discovered lurking in post-Katrina, there is a genuine pulse to this short novel Resistance against mediocre sentiment, tired tricks of formulaic fodder - a heartbeat of art.

I'd buy it for that alone.

This was a very differently written book than most stories. It was written with minimal talking between charactors. I thought the ending was the best part. It was an odd book not for everyones' taste.

FYI, the description lists the main character's name as 'Jay,' when the dust cover (and book itself) refers to her as 'Eve.'
Perhaps this was written off of an earlier proof.

Just FYI.

J