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dominil's review against another edition
4.0
Io non so come fare a recensire un romanzo di Chuck Palahniuk, c'è semplicemente troppo dentro.
Potrei partire dicendo che la prima volta che l'ho letto mi ha fatto schifo: troppo sesso inutile, aborti per fini medici, cose che non fanno proprio per me.
Eppure, ieri l'ho ripreso in mano e la magia è avvenuta.
Era la stessa storia ma la sentivo in maniera completamente diversa.
Il protagonista è giovane, ha solo 25 anni, eppure la sua vita è sempre stata una girandola di eventi, culminata ora con l'annuncio di una malattia tremenda alla madre, un'italiana piuttosto stramba che è stata in prigione varie volte per proteste, rapimenti e attentati alla salute pubblica.
Ciò lo costringe a lasciare gli studi di medicina, che gli hanno già condizionato a tal punto la mente da esprimere diagnosi su chiunque, e a fingere di soffocare nei locali per poter così ottenere dal fortunato salvatore un piccolo dono monetario ogni anniversario dell'evento, oltre che a lavorare come servo in una ricostruzione storica piena di dipendenti fusi e sballati, povere carcasse della società.
Come lui, un venticinquenne ipersessuale.
Uno potrebbe obiettare che a quell'età lo siano tutti, ma in realtà non è tanto l'atto a dare piacere, quanto la scarica di endorfine e adrenalina che si sentono dopo.
Quello speciale oblio nebuloso quando si raggiunge l'orgasmo.
E' come qualsiasi droga materiale, il suo unico scopo è svuotare la mente dal proprio schifoso presente.
Potrei partire dicendo che la prima volta che l'ho letto mi ha fatto schifo: troppo sesso inutile, aborti per fini medici, cose che non fanno proprio per me.
Eppure, ieri l'ho ripreso in mano e la magia è avvenuta.
Era la stessa storia ma la sentivo in maniera completamente diversa.
Il protagonista è giovane, ha solo 25 anni, eppure la sua vita è sempre stata una girandola di eventi, culminata ora con l'annuncio di una malattia tremenda alla madre, un'italiana piuttosto stramba che è stata in prigione varie volte per proteste, rapimenti e attentati alla salute pubblica.
Ciò lo costringe a lasciare gli studi di medicina, che gli hanno già condizionato a tal punto la mente da esprimere diagnosi su chiunque, e a fingere di soffocare nei locali per poter così ottenere dal fortunato salvatore un piccolo dono monetario ogni anniversario dell'evento, oltre che a lavorare come servo in una ricostruzione storica piena di dipendenti fusi e sballati, povere carcasse della società.
Come lui, un venticinquenne ipersessuale.
Uno potrebbe obiettare che a quell'età lo siano tutti, ma in realtà non è tanto l'atto a dare piacere, quanto la scarica di endorfine e adrenalina che si sentono dopo.
Quello speciale oblio nebuloso quando si raggiunge l'orgasmo.
E' come qualsiasi droga materiale, il suo unico scopo è svuotare la mente dal proprio schifoso presente.
snuffbby's review against another edition
4.0
“Picture anybody growing up so stupid he didn’t know that hope is just another phase you’ll grow out of. Who thought you could make something, anything, that would last forever.”
i love chucks writing and even though i didnt 100% understand the story here of what happened with victor and what was real and what was false, i dont think the narrative was especially the point
i love chucks writing and even though i didnt 100% understand the story here of what happened with victor and what was real and what was false, i dont think the narrative was especially the point
bryce_is_a_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
Chuck Palahniuk has two speeds, giddy subversive blasts that force you to question your views on Society and Morality even as you laugh and are awed by his audacity, and moved by there fragile human core (Fight Club, Lullaby, Rant and Invisible Monster). His other speed is that of a five year old who asks you if you like "See Food" (Haunted, Survivor). Unfortunately Choke belongs firmly in the Latter camp.
Even in his worst stuff there are always moments in a Palahniuk book that are a few moments that work ("I'm still here guess that means I'm nuts"). But they are too far and few between in Choke to make it anything other then a disappointment.
That said I have no damn idea how the hell they plan to make this into a movie. Fight Club is going to look like a Tom Clancy adaptation next to this thing.
Even in his worst stuff there are always moments in a Palahniuk book that are a few moments that work ("I'm still here guess that means I'm nuts"). But they are too far and few between in Choke to make it anything other then a disappointment.
That said I have no damn idea how the hell they plan to make this into a movie. Fight Club is going to look like a Tom Clancy adaptation next to this thing.
jugglingpup's review against another edition
2.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I have read some funny posts from someone that has gotten tumblr famous recently, so I marked down this author as someone I had to give another shot. I had read Fight Club in high school and was completely underwhelmed. I thought maybe it was just I wasn’t old enough to really understand the book and enjoy it. I got to talking with a coworker and he was really excited. He brought me in two of Palahniuk’s books. This was the first one I got to.
Have you ever read a book and realized that made you feel like you were a masochist and should seek help? This book was damn close to that. From the very first page, I was just uninterested and a bit grossed out. The way the flashbacks were told in that weird narrative that didn’t match the book. Everything was third person in the flashbacks, but first person in the story. Yet, nothing was ever really explained. So many plot holes were left wide open. Some were settled, but one of the major plot points on the back of the book was still open to some extent. Then the last plot point, where is that going? ‘
The language was just obnoxious. If I never have to hear another person refer to their penis as a “dog” it will be too soon. The language was such middle school boy that it was ridiculous. The sex scenes were boring, which I could appreciate because Victor even said that sex was perfunctory to him at this point. Referring to his ejaculate as “white soldiers” was something that got on my nerves every time.
Despite all of my issues, the plot was able to hold me interested for a few minutes. Nothing to do with Victor. I wanted to know more about Denidiny. What was Denny really doing with the rocks? That was the only part of the book I really cared about. Yet that plot was one of the ones that was left open. Denny also had the same issues of being immature and boring like Victor. All of the female characters were either felons, in psychiatric care, or strippers. I hear that this is pretty common in Palahniuk’s books, but I won’t know that for sure for a few more books. It was interesting how immature Victor was, but one in an aside he mentioned that receiving oral sex from a man would do in a pinch. I expected him to be more immature about the idea. There weren’t many homophobic slurs, which would have fit Victor. There were a lot of insults slapped on Victor by the narrator though, which never made sense. Every time I started to get into the book, the language and the characters would pull me back out. The language was consistent though, that takes some skill when it is this ridiculous.
If you like books that think they are being clever, where the twists are obvious from pretty much the beginning, where the language is very juvenile, and the humor is just crass, then this book would be perfect for you. If you like reading a main character that speaks and thinks like he is older than 13-14, then this isn’t the book for you.
I have read some funny posts from someone that has gotten tumblr famous recently, so I marked down this author as someone I had to give another shot. I had read Fight Club in high school and was completely underwhelmed. I thought maybe it was just I wasn’t old enough to really understand the book and enjoy it. I got to talking with a coworker and he was really excited. He brought me in two of Palahniuk’s books. This was the first one I got to.
Have you ever read a book and realized that made you feel like you were a masochist and should seek help? This book was damn close to that. From the very first page, I was just uninterested and a bit grossed out. The way the flashbacks were told in that weird narrative that didn’t match the book. Everything was third person in the flashbacks, but first person in the story. Yet, nothing was ever really explained. So many plot holes were left wide open. Some were settled, but one of the major plot points on the back of the book was still open to some extent. Then the last plot point, where is that going? ‘
The language was just obnoxious. If I never have to hear another person refer to their penis as a “dog” it will be too soon. The language was such middle school boy that it was ridiculous. The sex scenes were boring, which I could appreciate because Victor even said that sex was perfunctory to him at this point. Referring to his ejaculate as “white soldiers” was something that got on my nerves every time.
Despite all of my issues, the plot was able to hold me interested for a few minutes. Nothing to do with Victor. I wanted to know more about Denidiny. What was Denny really doing with the rocks? That was the only part of the book I really cared about. Yet that plot was one of the ones that was left open. Denny also had the same issues of being immature and boring like Victor. All of the female characters were either felons, in psychiatric care, or strippers. I hear that this is pretty common in Palahniuk’s books, but I won’t know that for sure for a few more books. It was interesting how immature Victor was, but one in an aside he mentioned that receiving oral sex from a man would do in a pinch. I expected him to be more immature about the idea. There weren’t many homophobic slurs, which would have fit Victor. There were a lot of insults slapped on Victor by the narrator though, which never made sense. Every time I started to get into the book, the language and the characters would pull me back out. The language was consistent though, that takes some skill when it is this ridiculous.
If you like books that think they are being clever, where the twists are obvious from pretty much the beginning, where the language is very juvenile, and the humor is just crass, then this book would be perfect for you. If you like reading a main character that speaks and thinks like he is older than 13-14, then this isn’t the book for you.
max_outlier's review against another edition
3.0
In a word..RAW
For those familiar with Chuck's writing, Fight Club in particular, a story about Vincent Mancini, a sexaholic who seeks the meaning of his institutionalized mother's diary while jousting with his demented sidekick Denny, its obtuse as are most of his stories. I found it difficult not to think of the Big Lebowski, aka Dude when reading this due to how Denny always refers to him as 'dude'. Chuck pulls no punches when pointing out the dysfunctions of human kind and his characters all embody them. Tongue in cheek humor combined with unadulterated bashing is what Chuck is known for. There's no rhyme or reason, moral or happy ending here. Just the creative genius of an author named Chuck. In his own right books of this sort should qualify for the Upchuck genre since they don't fit anywhere else!
For those familiar with Chuck's writing, Fight Club in particular, a story about Vincent Mancini, a sexaholic who seeks the meaning of his institutionalized mother's diary while jousting with his demented sidekick Denny, its obtuse as are most of his stories. I found it difficult not to think of the Big Lebowski, aka Dude when reading this due to how Denny always refers to him as 'dude'. Chuck pulls no punches when pointing out the dysfunctions of human kind and his characters all embody them. Tongue in cheek humor combined with unadulterated bashing is what Chuck is known for. There's no rhyme or reason, moral or happy ending here. Just the creative genius of an author named Chuck. In his own right books of this sort should qualify for the Upchuck genre since they don't fit anywhere else!
stephyloveshorror's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brendanjvv's review against another edition
3.0
This is hands down the weirdest fucking book I've ever read. Will have to do a re-read one day
bradyreads's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely something. Didn’t hate it but it was far from being something I’ll remember. The structure was interesting and he’s definitely a talented writer. Can see how the author of this could also have come up with the plot of Fight Club
nunuseli's review against another edition
3.0
Hubo una temporada en la que 'Asfixia' me parecía el mayor libro jamás escrito. Por suerte ya superé esta fase. Pronto me dí cuenta que Chuck tiene un estilo repetitivo y gratuito, extremamente facilón, comparable a los fuegos de artificio, que son muy espectaculares mientras duran, pero cuando se han terminado no queda nada de ellos. Aún así, creo que 'Asfixia', por más facilón que es, aún conserva algo de valor.