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not_a_bagel's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book was one of the best experiences I've had while reading a book, but I also don't think it's a very good book.
loochysue's review
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I listened to this book on a recent road trip with some friends. It was definitely a good choice to put on during the long hours of driving through Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado... especially because if you fall asleep for a little while as a passenger you don't miss much! The book/performance is super repetitive - one could say to the nth degree. It was tedious, mind-numbing, funny, lascivious, and oh so repetitious. From the very beginning I didn't understand what I was listening to. Short snippets of gods' abilities and jobs? Something with no plot whatsoever? Whatever it was, Leyner wrote some... interesting prose. At times the language was beautiful (and weird), and we road-trippers couldn't help but laugh out loud (and eye-roll and groan) through most of the book.
peebee's review
4.0
If I read this in my early 20's probably my favorite book. Exhausting and it never makes any sense, but at least it's original and entertaining.
hcq's review
2.0
Overall, meh. It started off really well, but then Leyner got a little too caught up in his spiral of repetition. At first it was funny, but as it went on it turned into more of an "enough already, I get it" sort of feeling.
I suspect part of the problem might be in the way I read this book, though, picking it up a couple of times over a couple of days. I think it might be better read straight through, in one sitting; that way the spiral effect might work better.
I suspect part of the problem might be in the way I read this book, though, picking it up a couple of times over a couple of days. I think it might be better read straight through, in one sitting; that way the spiral effect might work better.
scotchneat's review
3.0
So, if you name your book "The Sugar Frosted Nutsack", you better live up to it.
I highly enjoyed it for the first third or so. Absurd, fantastic, awkward and so on. A bit of John Cage (you have to read it to understand that - it involves a Greek chorus on drugs and ritualistic blinding). But, like Cage, the cadence or the making of the thing takes over and can get a bit tedious.
Basically, the gods and goddesses of modern times are in a luxury apartment in Dubai, their most recent hangout, though they arrived long long ago on a bus. They are divided into factions that are trying to best each other, and they are very interested in one unemployed guy from New Jersey with flowing hair.
I highly enjoyed it for the first third or so. Absurd, fantastic, awkward and so on. A bit of John Cage (you have to read it to understand that - it involves a Greek chorus on drugs and ritualistic blinding). But, like Cage, the cadence or the making of the thing takes over and can get a bit tedious.
Basically, the gods and goddesses of modern times are in a luxury apartment in Dubai, their most recent hangout, though they arrived long long ago on a bus. They are divided into factions that are trying to best each other, and they are very interested in one unemployed guy from New Jersey with flowing hair.
hahildebrand's review
5.0
A re-reading. Still startlingly unique, surprising, prescient, thrilling, circular, self-absorbed, easy/difficult, brilliant, puerile, redundant, useless/priceless, wonderful.