Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - We Sold Our Souls

Of all of Grady Hendrix's novels, I expected this one to be my favorite before I had read any of them. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, but it is not my all-time favorite from Grady Hendrix, it definitely falls somewhere in the middle of the pack.
"We Sold Our Souls" follows a young woman named Kris. In the 1990's, her band, Dürt Würk, was ready to make it big and finally have their chance at fame. Unfortunately, everything fell apart one night, a night that no one in the band seems to remember. Now, in present day, one member of the former band is a musical idol and set to go on his farewell tour. Kris, sick of her horrible life, decides finally to confront him and get to the bottom of what happened decades ago and uncover why Dürt Würk never made it.

This novel is just like every other Grady Hendrix in the sense that he has his own special brand of comedic horror. This story is graphic, has violence and death, but it is still funny past all of the blood and gore. I really loved Kris as a character. She presents herself as real and authentic. Her dreams were shattered, and she was left to pick up pieces she should not have had to do. She struggles with dealing with the failure of her youth and she feels trapped in a terrible life she never wanted. But, once she finally gets that inspiration to fight for herself and her beloved band, she will stop at nothing for answers. Her whole character arch really takes you through a myriad of emotions and you cannot help to root for her.
I also really enjoyed the metaphor of "selling your soul" for your art. Without giving too much of the story away, someone in the band has sold his soul to become successful. I think this is such an interesting idea and discussion because fame tends to really cloud even the best person's judgment. Purists want the art to matter above all else, so when someone sells their soul, meaning they sacrifice their art for success, some people are outraged. But, at the same time you want to respect the hustle and the ambition to make it in this world because of their art.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Grady Hendrix's books, and I look forward to continue enjoying more from him!

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meecespieces's review

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challenging dark hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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laurenleigh's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was delightfully weird! I love a good hero’s quest story structure, especially if our protagonist is a badass woman. I enjoyed the plot, though it got a little gross and gory at times. It felt right for the story though, like the novelation of a metal album. Actually all the chapter titles are album titles, which took me way too long to recognize! Hendrix’s style reminded me of a gritty film noir, focusing on what some might call the dregs of society, but in a way that highlights their wonderful humanity. Though many of these characters dream of fame and glory, most are extremely regular folks just trying to survive in less than ideal conditions. The ending felt right and tied up everything in a fun, bombastic way. I would totally read a sequel featuring the character we left off on! I think I’ll check out this author’s other works.

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