I’ve posted infrequently enough on this blog, that the last title I reviewed was Chuck Palahniuk’s previous book Pygmy. That book still holds the title of the only book I have not finished in over five years. Thankfully his newest book is nothing at all like Pygmy, and I had trouble putting it down instead of picking it up. Coming in at 192 pages, this book was a quick read, but certainly did not lack in content. I was surprised after finishing it, just how much had been packed into the short period of time I spent with it. This book has a very interesting point of view, which Palahniuk fans will know he excels at exploiting. Without spoiling the story, this is a story of the last days of an aging Hollywood Star, as seen from her seemingly harmless and ever helpful housemaid. I guarantee this book will be nothing like you expect it to be, and that is really half the fun of the story. Also the cover is quite sharp, which is a common characteristic of his work. Not sure if this is a result of the author’s influence, or just a very creative art director at his publishing house. Either way, it makes this book very difficult to miss.

Being an avid reader, I always have more than one book on the go. As a result the less exciting books in my reading pile often get pushed to the side and remain partially read for long periods of time. Every once in a blue moon though, a book is so boring, or so catastrophically bad that I call it a day and never read the rest of it. The most recent offender of this calibre is PYGMY by Chuck Palahniuk.
I’ve read much of Palahniuk’s work and I’ve been impressed on almost every occasion. His work is often vulgar and graphic, but is usually has some redeeming quality or story quirk that makes it enjoyable. I have yet to find a single redeeming quality about this book. It nearly induces physical pain when reading the hobbled english of the narrator and the story wanders aimlessly along with no real goal being apparent after forcing myself through 94 of the 241 pages. The only real hope I have for this book is that it will make the rest of Palahniuk’s work look better. Worst case scenario is that it will deter readers from discovering a very talented author.