Customer Reviews

Smoke and Gravity

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

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this humorous and delightfully colorful story by Mr. Neagle. I'm almost sure the Oak Goddess was in some way responsible for getting it into my hands, at lease I'm sure Duke would think so. Zany, full of fun, and without a doubt the best fiction I've read quite a while!

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up the book and saw a baby and boomerangs on the cover, but when I read Fred Chappell's comments on the back cover I knew I wanted to give it a read ... Wow! This book is funny, intelligent, and full of insights into today's world. I loved the characterization of Bambi--not your typical stripper--and I want to meet Myron Fugate! I highly reccommend this book to anyone who likes to read Carl Hiassen, Kurt Vonnegut, or Tom Robbins.

Also recommended: Breakfast of Champions, Lucky You, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Neagle's style features a clever narration that I've neither encountered nor enjoyed so much in a novel. The friendly voice adds delightful sparks of self-effacing humor, bright wit and gentle wisdom in this healthy, honest, humorous glance into the lives of some CHARACTERS (with capital letters!) and their colorful lives. Neagle's keen eye and ear for just the right details that express the goodness and uniqueness of a person (character) make his fiction believable reality -- especially as I recognize myself and others I know in the events and people of this novel. As I laughed out loud, the almost matter-of-fact innocence of this novel helped me see that when I laugh, I'm laughing at me, --- and it's healthy, because it seems like I'm embracing instead of making fun.

I borrowed this book from a good friend of the author. Knowing how much I like a good book, he thought I would enjoy Mr. Neagle's good-natured, witty style. Within a few pages I knew he was right. ---When I arrived at the end of the novel, I immediately began searching for another Win Neagle work of art. "Smoke and Gravity" is an easy read that will touch both your heart and your funny bone. I can happily say that Win Neagle's and my mutual friend David Jones was right. I have passed it on to my dad, and am about to order "Full Count". :-)

This book is pure delight from start to finish. I enjoyed the characters, as well as the story, which was both funny & touching. Rarely does a book make me both laugh and cry. This one did. I look forward to other books from this author.

This book isn't quite a 4 star, but I always round up. The story is entertaining enough, but the ending is so heaped with tying up loose threads that it just takes all the fun out of the meandering beginning. The book reminds me of a scrapbook but one that is a combined effort, with a half dozen characters adding their bits. And then, like in all the scrapbooks I've ever seen, rushed to a finish so it can be displayed. Still, all and all, not a bad read. I am taking this to the UK to release "into the wild" as a BookCrossing.com book.