ipb1's review against another edition
4.0
My only prior familiarity with Vlautin was through the wonderful film adaptation of [b:Lean On Pete|6713642|Lean On Pete|Willy Vlautin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1340038934l/6713642._SX50_.jpg|6909527]. Written with a clarity and directness that calls to mind Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Carver, this similarly occupies itself with the marginalised and downtrodden, so I'm guessing that this is Vlautin's territory. Bleak, yes, but the bleakness is offset by an underlying compassion that makes you care about each of the characters. Its always a good sign when you finish a novel by an author and have the urge immediately to seek out others by them.
obscuredbyclouds's review against another edition
4.0
I love Willy Vlautin, I love all this characters and his straight forward writing style but in this book I found myself confused quite a lot, the structure was a bit "off".
wsmythe19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Another gold standard of modern social realist fiction, Vlautin depicts the realities of both military and citizen lives in a post-9/11 landscape. As rough as sandpaper at some points, but only to highlight the harsh reality for many US citizens.
benbert's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lisaeirene's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very unique story. It was telling the story of several different people who were on the periphery of each other's lives. It was fascinating and I loved each of the characters. I'd give it more stars if there was more of a STORY. I often felt like "what is the story here?" and then I realized it was just about these people and I let that go.
kribby's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
I cannot explain how I even found this little gem in the sea of books at Schuler Books. I just had hours to kill and immersed myself in the stacks.
And just as mysteriously, I cannot explain its grip on me. I could not put it down and the characters are still with me a week later.
And I also cannot understand other reviewers saying they skimmed through Leroy’s dream sequences. Those are the most powerful thing about this book. We see what he’s seen and experienced through them. Vlautin is using allegory and metaphor to make his point, and I do recognize that some people don’t like to read like this (and I will admit that some authors can be too esoteric with their allegory/metaphor style), but this is not that. It’s very straightforward.
Also I thought the other characters were great examples of the working poor and the disappearing middle class.
I had never heard of Vlautin before this book, but will search out his other titles
And just as mysteriously, I cannot explain its grip on me. I could not put it down and the characters are still with me a week later.
And I also cannot understand other reviewers saying they skimmed through Leroy’s dream sequences. Those are the most powerful thing about this book. We see what he’s seen and experienced through them.
Spoiler
And through them we see the real consequences of sending our children away to wars and conflict.Also I thought the other characters were great examples of the working poor and the disappearing middle class.
I had never heard of Vlautin before this book, but will search out his other titles
bettyvd's review against another edition
4.0
Boeiende vertelling die drie personen verbindt. De ploeterende mens op zijn mooist.