jimmypat's review against another edition
4.0
Fay is a total b——.
Less about the titular crap artist, this book focuses on his terrible sister and her husband and contains some of Dick’s most brutally realistic characters.
Less about the titular crap artist, this book focuses on his terrible sister and her husband and contains some of Dick’s most brutally realistic characters.
cheezvshcrvst's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
abbybee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
essinink's review against another edition
3.0
This book has one of the best opening lines I have ever seen in my life.
As usual, PKD killed it. Despite being his only published non-SF novel, that doesn't in any way make it bad. It's a laugh-or-cry suburban melodrama where the hilarity only just outweighs the angst, and the guy in the tinfoil hat may just be the sanest guy in the room.
This is a book about horrible people doing horrible things. PKD is at the finest level of scathing social commentary I've seen in a while, and the lack of sugarcoating makes it all uncomfortably close-to-home.
"Enjoy" isn't a word that should really apply to a book that makes you cringe in so many ways, but there it is.
My only question is why the Lit professors haven't dragged this into the classroom, yet.
As usual, PKD killed it. Despite being his only published non-SF novel, that doesn't in any way make it bad. It's a laugh-or-cry suburban melodrama where the hilarity only just outweighs the angst, and the guy in the tinfoil hat may just be the sanest guy in the room.
This is a book about horrible people doing horrible things. PKD is at the finest level of scathing social commentary I've seen in a while, and the lack of sugarcoating makes it all uncomfortably close-to-home.
"Enjoy" isn't a word that should really apply to a book that makes you cringe in so many ways, but there it is.
My only question is why the Lit professors haven't dragged this into the classroom, yet.
david_agranoff's review against another edition
2.0
Well should make an interesting podcast. There are fun and interesting things for serious Dickheads you might bump up the rating a star for that. Podcast recording soon.
el_entrenador_loco's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
arthurbdd's review against another edition
3.0
More or less the only one of Dick's non-genre mainstream novels written in the 1950s to be worth serious consideration. It's the only one of that set published in his lifetime, and it deserved to be, both on the strength of a more vivid than typical cast and some signs of a fumbling attempt to criticise misogynistic ideas about gender, instead of just depicting women as arbitrary monsters whose actions don't make any sense. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/dick-out-of-joint/
larsinio's review against another edition
4.0
fun, interesting view into late 50s rural california where domestic drama ENSUES. You can tell it was written by PKD, but without any scifi. It was inadvertently good to read this after Time out of Joint, which is also about the 50s - provides a nice contrast and comparison.
Not enough of the crap artist himself, IMO. but he's utlimately more of a literary device than a character. I liked the ending, which i often dont do.
Not enough of the crap artist himself, IMO. but he's utlimately more of a literary device than a character. I liked the ending, which i often dont do.
aelecele's review
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0