Customer Reviews

Straight Through the Night

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

 

 

The loneliness and reality portrayed in this book is unforgettable. It has been a year since I've read this book and I can't forget Chuck, his story, and alienation. Not a word is wasted; even the chapter titles add to the flesh, blood, veins, and human emotion depicted in this book. Through the character of Chuck, Allen makes his point about romance, New York, meat, and people with poignancy and without apology.

Ed Allen writes as beautifully and as haunting as Nabokov. Read this book as well as his other novel, Mustang Sally, and you'll know what I'm talking about. Great stuff.

This book cut right to my heart. The book overall is a downer, but the progression of the main character is significant. It made me wonder how far that I could be from his long series of disappointments and experiences in my own life experience. It is realistic and heart-wrenching. One wonders how many people suffer his fate in our society today.

Edward Allen's attempt at literary fiction both disappointed and angered me. In this tale, a loser(and that's the only name for a guy who gave up college for a stupid reason) named Chuck Deckle tries to eke out an existance doing butcher work. He was insprired by some cartoon(a hallmark of a loser). But alas, he is taken advantage of and marginalized. I would feel bad for Deckle's predicaments more if I didn't feel he was such a loser that needs to grow up. Allen sure knows more about kosher butchering than the average joe. The nasty Jewish owner of a kosher slaughterhouse is quite stereotypical of our worst fears.