I was hesitant to read this book because I have read so many reviews that said that they were disappointed in it or the damning phrase, “It’s no Eleanor and Park”. I was surprised that I found myself loving this book, perhaps even more than Eleanor and Park because I can identify with this book more (now) based on where I am in my life. Now, let me start off by saying that I make a conscious effort not to take my husband for granted […]
Superhero soap opera
Love Fights is set in a world where superheroes are real members of society and fighting their way across the city can cause blackouts or disruptions to train service. During one such shut down, Jack, a penciller for the comic book devoted to The Flamer, meets Nora, a transplant to the city from Wisconsin hoping to make her way up in superhero journalism. He’s smitten, but he’s tongue-tied and shy, convinced that girls aren’t interested in real guys, only the flashy superheroes and lets the […]
Skunky
The bloom might be off the rose a bit. I think I’m OD’ing on Daniel Woodrell. This latest felt like the pan scrapings from all the novels to come previous. The end result is kind of a lesser, mule-kicked cousin to the previous work. There’s nothing wrong with being derivative of yourself, I suppose, but it wasn’t as saucy as I had hoped.
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mannabis
I want to believe that Daniel Woodrell is some kind of Hillbilly Hemingway, a moonshine jug in one hand and a sawed off shotgun in the other, writing with his fucking feet as someone strums banjo behind him. So this story felt a little on the nose, though I suspect it’s Woodrell shouting “Here’s yer fucking Portnoy’s Complaint, y’all bunch of citified cockfisters.” Excuse my french.