blonde book club launch.

[thetank]

Some stuff I liked.

I liked a lot of the background and authenticating detail that the author drew of the narrator and the art world that he was a part of. 'Deathbucks' in particular sounded like a genuine but of New York performance art.

The whole idea behind Victor's great big drawing.

I enjoyed the Marilyn character, such phrases as "You're the only guy here I've not fired or fucked" and the perspective that rape and murder is "just sex and violence"
(Her emotional collapse I found utterly unconvincing and somewhat cliched, but this is the stuff I liked part so less about that.)



Stuff I didn't like

Throughout the whole book, I didn't like the authors economy of language (or lack of it)
It's a delicate balance to strike, (telling us not enough vs telling us too much) but I thought that the author got it wrong for my tastes in this book. All too often I felt like I was being spoon fed information that could have better been conveyed subtely. (stuff about the plot, about atmosphere and about character)

Just not my thing I guess.

[kinboshi]

I should really start reading this book...

[phatomch]

I really have been useless with this, still have 60 pages to go. will do it v. soon

I have always been good with being able to put faces to characters in my imagination, but i really struggled to put a face to Marilyn... strange.

this line interested me as I had real issues but with Ethan. for at least half the book everytime I started reading a bit I'd picture the narrator as a woman for a bit then I'd remember it was a bloke. not too sure why though, something in the author's style just seems a bit feminine to me

thats because the first line of the book starts with "the Heroine" or something similar so it puts you in the mindset of a woman, the author doesnt actual state that is a man until around page 50 i think.

[gatso]

I really have been useless with this, still have 60 pages to go. will do it v. soon

I have always been good with being able to put faces to characters in my imagination, but i really struggled to put a face to Marilyn... strange.

this line interested me as I had real issues but with Ethan. for at least half the book everytime I started reading a bit I'd picture the narrator as a woman for a bit then I'd remember it was a bloke. not too sure why though, something in the author's style just seems a bit feminine to me

thats because the first line of the book starts with "the Heroine" or something similar so it puts you in the mindset of a woman, the author doesnt actual state that is a man until around page 50 i think.

narrator actually introduces himself as ethan on page 2 but I see what you mean about the heroine bit

[phatomch]

Okay, here's a question to kick us off.

What role do you think New York the city plays in the novel?

Throughout the novel there is a common theme of people to New York and quickly achieving the success that was denied them elsewhere. Solomon's friend Singer in one era, the narrators girlfiend Marilyn in another. it is not until Victor reaches New York that he is able to express himself freely and create the work of art that is the impetus for the story.

This common theme, do you think it is a deliberate use of symbolism on the part of the author? The city as some sort of live giving force on which humanity can suckle if it so chooses to make it's way there? If so, is there a way the continual references to the 9/11 terrorist attacks play a part in this symbolism, or do you think the author just happens to be a big fan of New York?

i didnt think of it until after this comment but it seems to paint the picture that you can prosper in New York but it has a adverse effect on you, all the side characters seem to be sucsessfull but not nice people, the father, the family going back all seem to be diferent stages of fucked up, while he seems to adore the city and praise it for handling the 9/11 he seems to show the inhabitants ina bad light.

[phatomch]

I really have been useless with this, still have 60 pages to go. will do it v. soon

I have always been good with being able to put faces to characters in my imagination, but i really struggled to put a face to Marilyn... strange.

this line interested me as I had real issues but with Ethan. for at least half the book everytime I started reading a bit I'd picture the narrator as a woman for a bit then I'd remember it was a bloke. not too sure why though, something in the author's style just seems a bit feminine to me

thats because the first line of the book starts with "the Heroine" or something similar so it puts you in the mindset of a woman, the author doesnt actual state that is a man until around page 50 i think.

narrator actually introduces himself as ethan on page 2 but I see what you mean about the heroine bit

but not as he or she.

[phatomch]

The author tried to push the gay side of this book by going into greater detail of the homosexual side of peoples relationships and skirting over the sex scene betwenn the lead and the cops daughter, is this showing maybe the author being homosexual or just trying to add a little shock to the pages? The way he seems to empower the woman throughout the book except the cops ex wife who he puts to a cheating drunk, again is it a history that he is bringing to the pages or shock factor?

[Colchester Kev]

Would make a good movie imo.

[thetank]

The author tried to push the gay side of this book by going into greater detail of the homosexual side of peoples relationships and skirting over the sex scene betwenn the lead and the cops daughter, is this showing maybe the author being homosexual or just trying to add a little shock to the pages?

I definately don't think we can infer anything about the author's sexuality from this. A straight person could just have easily have written this.
He possibly might have just wanted to shock but there could be other reasons.

You could argue that it warranted more explanation because most people are familiar with what happens between an art dealer and a detectives daughter of opposing genders in bed, but less familiar with what goes on in a same sex relationship between an adolescent mogoloid and a sociopath.

I don't think it was in there just to shock tbh, will give the author the benefit of the doubt on that one. Personally, I think the additional detail was warranted because the gay relationship was far more central to the plot and an integral part of Victor's motivation, it explained the power that (can't remember his name, the baddy) had over him.

[Colchester Kev]

I liked the way the book was written with lots of dialogue passages, very easy to read in characters voices.

I posted earlier about the problem I had putting a face to Marilyn, that still bothers me tbh ...

Krystiana (sp) was a good character ... she was obv a fruit loop and some of the references to her work made me LOL

Tank mentioned the "Deathbucks", that was quality ... but the "Jizz or salon secrets" one was just LOL funny and yet wholly believable in these types of art exhibitions.


Pleased with the book overall, and cant wait to start discussing the storyline proper.

[Colchester Kev]

Cant believe only 4 people have read the book ...

[ ] Rip roaring success

[thetank]

What's the book for next month?

Maybe if we try something under 120,000 words we might have more uptake.

[Ginger]

Cant believe only 4 people have read the book ...

[ ] Rip roaring success

I've started reading it, and intended to finish it long ago.

Exams come first though, another 2 weeks (and a house move) and I can read as many of these book club books that you can throw at me - Kev, that isn't an invitation!

[Colchester Kev]

Invitation is useless until we start reading hardbacked books

[gatso]

finished it last night. not too sure why the author felt the need to squeeze 1/2 the story into the last 30 pages. had victor used up all his paper drawing pictures?

bit disappointed tbh, I assume the ending was supposed to be some sort of twist but by the time I got to it I didn't care anymore