joelafond's review against another edition
2.0
Let me start by saying that I was laughing incessantly while I read...but I felt really guilty about laughing. Although the book was funny, I think its blatant misogyny painted all men with a pretty broad, shameful brush. Sure the book was mildly funny, but overall it was the lowest-brow piece of shit I've ever read. But, on the positive side, it certainly makes me believe that I can one day get a book published if all you have to do is write about female orifices, butt sex and how much you masturbate in a day - should be easy right?
kilcannon's review against another edition
2.0
Voice is not the same as character. While there were occasional moments of insight, the voice was too cartoonish (and the constant sex scenes too porny) to for the indictments to ring true.
That, and there's an overall sloppiness to the book that undercuts the whole. If you're going to include gamer and Internet culture, you need to get it right. Published in 2007, the book has protagonist who engages in Internet behaviors from the early 2000s at the latest, and he plays Halo 2 on his XBOX 360. The average American male knows better.
That, and there's an overall sloppiness to the book that undercuts the whole. If you're going to include gamer and Internet culture, you need to get it right. Published in 2007, the book has protagonist who engages in Internet behaviors from the early 2000s at the latest, and he plays Halo 2 on his XBOX 360. The average American male knows better.
catscantread404's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.75
piscesreader1111's review against another edition
dark
informative
fast-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
4.5
it was a horribly gross and disgusting view into the mind of the average American male, but it was a good book lol got a good writing style
kandisteiner's review against another edition
3.0
Ugh. Bleck. I feel gross that I even entertained this book. However, I am giving it 3 stars because it hooked me enough to make me finish it, it made me laugh a few times with the offensive humor (before it grew extremely old and tired), and it gave an interesting insight not into the average American male, but the average American fuqboi. #byefelipe
antidietleah's review against another edition
4.0
So, I must start this "review" by saying I totally get why some people (especially women) would not like this book. But I thought it was great. It was raunchy and rude and hilarious and I totally get it. The reviewers that are going on feminist rants? Get over yourself. It's a novel. It's a work of fiction. And it is probably very accurate for a lot of 20-something single American male's minds. Once you can see past the crudeness, there is a story and there is a point and it is a valid one. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his books now, that's for sure.
syddygal's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
dwcofer's review against another edition
5.0
"The Average American Male," by Chad Kultgen, is one of the most engaging and enjoyable books I have read in a long time. The book is not only funny, but SO true. It is amazing how accurate the narrator is to how every man feels.
I will try to review the book without any spoilers, so some plot elements will not be included. The book is written in the first person and the narrator has no name. I really liked that aspect as the narrator does not need a name, for in essence, he IS the average American male. He could be any of us, thus a name would be limiting.
Even though he has a girlfriend, the narrator constantly looks at other women and imagines having sex with them as well. What guy doesn't do that, right? I wont spoil a very hilarious scene in a restaurant with the narrator, his girlfriend, and her mother, but it was the best. I was rooting him on all the way to finally grow some balls and stand up to them.
My only quibble with the book is the ending. it did not end as I expected. When I read the book, it seemed the ending was out of character for the narrator. After spending over 200 pages with him, I felt I knew him well, and was surprised by the ending. But other than that, I LOVED this book.
Highly recommend it. I read it in just a few days. The book was so difficult to put down when other things demanded my time. Get a copy and read it. NOW!
I will try to review the book without any spoilers, so some plot elements will not be included. The book is written in the first person and the narrator has no name. I really liked that aspect as the narrator does not need a name, for in essence, he IS the average American male. He could be any of us, thus a name would be limiting.
Even though he has a girlfriend, the narrator constantly looks at other women and imagines having sex with them as well. What guy doesn't do that, right? I wont spoil a very hilarious scene in a restaurant with the narrator, his girlfriend, and her mother, but it was the best. I was rooting him on all the way to finally grow some balls and stand up to them.
My only quibble with the book is the ending. it did not end as I expected. When I read the book, it seemed the ending was out of character for the narrator. After spending over 200 pages with him, I felt I knew him well, and was surprised by the ending. But other than that, I LOVED this book.
Highly recommend it. I read it in just a few days. The book was so difficult to put down when other things demanded my time. Get a copy and read it. NOW!
buer's review against another edition
2.0
This is one of those books that is so outrageously repulsive that you have to keep reading after you've started because you KNOW that it can't get any more offensive. But somehow it does and then it's just the proverbial bloody car crash that makes your stomach turn ceaselessly, but the pages keep turning right along with it because the prose is easy and the things he's saying are so awful that you can't look away...you can't put it down.
I would never suggest this book to anyone. Ever. But despite being blindsided continuously by what often felt like really unfair stereotypes against men (by a man, ridiculously enough) every once in awhile Kultgen does say something that resonatea or feels true in a disturbingly candid way.
Is this book lude? Yes. Is this book sexist? Yes. Is this book mean and gross and an extreme exaggeration of everything awful about relationships and gender stereotypes that no one likes think about? Omigaw, yes.
But if you can avoid taking it too seriously and skip the end so you are fooled into believing that some kind of character development happens (spoilers)...it's at the very least a page turner. Just probably not the kind of page turner you should waste your time on.
Yes, I'm supposed to be writing my thesis right now.
I would never suggest this book to anyone. Ever. But despite being blindsided continuously by what often felt like really unfair stereotypes against men (by a man, ridiculously enough) every once in awhile Kultgen does say something that resonatea or feels true in a disturbingly candid way.
Is this book lude? Yes. Is this book sexist? Yes. Is this book mean and gross and an extreme exaggeration of everything awful about relationships and gender stereotypes that no one likes think about? Omigaw, yes.
But if you can avoid taking it too seriously and skip the end so you are fooled into believing that some kind of character development happens (spoilers)...it's at the very least a page turner. Just probably not the kind of page turner you should waste your time on.
Yes, I'm supposed to be writing my thesis right now.
rosesus's review against another edition
fast-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
2.5