I May Bring This on Myself

Okay, I'll admit it. It would be quite fair for someone to point out that a person who has been complaining about having read too many books about murders really has nothing to complain about if she decides to read a book called The Killer Inside Me. I mean, even if you aren't familiar with the book or haven't heard anything about the movie last year, it's pretty obviously a book about murder. In my defense, I've been trying to read this book for awhile; apparently, the MoCo library system is a little too wholesome for this book.

Anyway, it was quite a read. It starts right off the bat with some pretty intense parts and rollicks all the way to a rather intense end. The novel is rather difficult to read in some parts. I certainly would not call it a pleasant read. My Vintage Crime Edition features a quote on the cover from Stanley Kubrick, "Probably the most chilling and believable first-person story of a criminally warped mind I have ever encountered." That seems pretty fair, and also gives a fairly good sense of what you're in for if you decide to take this one on.

That said, even though I've noted in the past that this list feels heavy on the noir, this is worth a read if you're interested in the genre. Even though you might see the twists coming, the moment you see the twist will still be a jolt. However, it's a nasty, intense read; graphic, gruesome, and not afraid to be detailed about violence (including sexual violence; consider this your trigger warning).

Because I like my books cheerful, I also read American Pastoral. I probably should have paced my Roth a bit better, but on the other hand, this one was so much better than The Human Stain. It worked for me in all the ways that the other one didn't. Again, definitely not a fun or light read. Essentially, it is about a man whose life and identity are utterly shattered. The story focuses on Swede, an all American, high-school football hero, family man, etc. whose beloved daughter bombs a store and kills someone in a terrorist act protesting the Vietnam War. That's just the start, though, the real focus is on how he copes with the aftermath of the act and how his daughter copes.

It's hard to describe this book without all kinds of spoilers. I know that I have used Devastating before as a one-word summary, but it really applies in this case. The novel takes questions about identity, family, community, and a few very specific moments in America, and feeds them through this lens of intense cruelty and devastation. My only criticism is that again, the author as narrator felt unnecessary. It was just odd.