Customer Reviews

Try

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

 

 

I do not think that I am one normally to be shocked by what I read, but I did find Dennis Cooper's Try coming into that category. The story, about Ziggy, a boy adopted by two abusive gay men, is an idea perhaps with great potential. However I found it thoroughly distasteful; distasteful as regards the literal filth in which they seemed to revel, and distasteful in that it lacked any redeeming features, above all it lacked heart. I found it to be a thoroughly depressing read.

Cooper is the American Jean Genet and some aspects of his subject-matter may scare people off, but he writes amazingly beautiful prose, has an incredible ear for dialogue, and is quite funny even at his most dark. "Try" is actually a very appealing, offbeat love-story. Give Dennis Cooper a, well, try.

this is definitely my favorite of the 5-book series (frisk, try, guide, closer, period) that Cooper penned. i had admired his work from afar because for the longest time his choice of subject matter and deadpan prose often made me feel estranged from the characters and their situations. however, there is something to be said for his work as it has managed to attain a certain kind of distinguishment in my eyes which is perhaps an entirely personal sentiment, although a case could be made that it's not entirely personal. but i won't try.

about the book: it is one of the most "emotional" of the 5-book series and has some of the most haunting passages and easy-to-identify characters (as far as the characters in Cooper's universe are concerned anyway!): the abusive father, the tragically misunderstood young man, the twisted relative, the aloof and obsessed admirer, and the suicidal compatriot. while there are a few other minor characters the above named are the most poignant and fully fleshed out (the aloof and obsessed admirer is narrated in the first-person) it helps to better understand just how difficult it is for the central character to relate to anyone, to understand their motives and situations, and ultimately to foresee any consequences. there is less of a recklessness in Cooper's storytelling with this novel and has perhaps the most optimistic "protagonist" of all the novels. this is saying a lot considering one of the story's more gruesome happenings, which is told in chillingly minimal language. in spite of these twists and turns in character development and plot cohesiveness the story reads fairly easy (if you're accustomed to Cooper's work) and is perhaps one of the most easily accessible as far as characterization and emotional depth go. but be warned, Cooper's writing has been and always will be for mature audiences only.

There are a few cliches to get your head round before reading Cooper and taking him seriously. One is the idea of the countercultural writer or punk poet. He is both of these, to an extent, but nothing like exclusively. If he borrows weight from any quarter it's in that he's gay and tackling the very established, even passe form of the pychological novel (see that blurb about Austen on the jacket). Anyone who knows Genet, though, will see the influence straight away - a writer besotted with the erotic and mythopoeic property of words, while staying far from any traditional level of erudition that could be used to boost his reputation or advance an idea of his 'level'. He is, in fact, a perfect modern incarnation of (or caterer to) Baudelaire's 'hypocrite lecteur'. He's 1% artist, and his books are 1% art, but don't underestimate that fraction's potency. Writes from the heart like no-one i know.

First I was confused: Was this a novel about gay adoption - promoting child pornography - necrophilia - abuse - abuse - abuse and drugs - trying to find something funny in all that - which would be awful and deserve a rating below zero.......but then I realised what the author is trying to do: he shows us how it happens and how people deal with it. Complete and utter madness has become the normal daily life for Ziggy and the others in this novel and they survive somehow. Ziggy abused by his to adoptive fathers writes a magazine about abuse and goes so far as to interview his uncle (a child pornographer) and his victim during the act - a scene which would be extremely funny if it wasn't so ugly.

In all of this the author succeeds somehow to include a sensitive love story as well - an unlikely one between Ziggy the probably-gay-but-not-sure-about-anything abused young guy and his friend the young writer Calhoun - a heroin addict and manages a quasi happy ending - which of course will not last.

I gave it 7 out of 10 but the book is really unrateable - it is well written on the whole but might be misunderstood.

Read it if you like controversial stuff.

One of the warmest stories of friendship I've ever had the honor to read.
Yes, it's edgy.
Yes, it's sexual.
But, when you get right down to it, it's about the love and friendship between these two boys.
I must say, I was shocked by one scene in the book. Not so much because of the inappropriate behovior of the characters, but by the fact that Cooper had the nerve to be so.. so... un-p.c..
Anyway, it's all warm fuzzies, only with teeth (not to mention fists...).

This is the third book of Cooper's that I have read (just finished actually...), and I am so moved I wanted to write a quick review. Cooper has this amazing ability to write about the most gruesome and chilling subject matter - things to horrific for most to even ponder- ,yet his characters are incredibly endearing and surprisingly easy to relate to. TRY is ultimately a love story, a tale of friendship and heartbreak, gorgeously written from the perspective of the varied main characters. A fascinating and touching read that I had a hard time putting down and would recommend to anyone.

This is by far my favorite book from Mr. Cooper. And it's his most accessible one yet because it is not as warped as his other works.
I can't help but feel compassion for the ziggy character and love the storyline from beginning to end.
A great one indeed!

This is my first Dennis Cooper book so it took me several pages to get use to his style of writing. At first I found this choppy style quite annoying; howerver, one I got into the book, it became easier to concentrate on the plot.
I found the book disturbing simply because of the subject matter, child pornograpy, pedophilia, drug abuse, and necrophilia all wraped up in one. I guess my curiosy keep me reading this book to find out how this all would end. I can honestly say that this was not one of my favorite books.

This is the first of Cooper's novels that I have read, and it will probably be the last. Although well-written, it seems like an exercise in writing about sexual abuse, violence and drugs with the sole purpose of being as nihilistic and shocking as possible. I found no theme or message from the work, nor did I experience any feelings for any of the characters. Cooper should bring his talent to bear on more worthwhile efforts.