chrstnareads's review against another edition
3.0
I'd say that I enjoyed about 7/8 of this book. It was an interesting premise, and the author delivered for most of the book, but I was less than enthused at the end. Maybe it was a little esoteric for me.
Anyway, the book follows famous news broadcaster Hatcher McCord. He was this in life, and in death. You see, Satan makes him the anchor for the Evening News in Hell. Here, he is doomed to read Bruce Almighty-esque teleprompters, no matter how hard he tries to avoid it, and is responsible for the series "Why Do You Think You're Here?" in which he interviews myriad "celebrities" of past and present (well, at this point they're all past, since they're dead), like Henry VIII, J. Edgar Hoover, Bill Clinton, and even Satan himself. One day, Hatcher hears talk that another Harrowing (Jesus will come to Hell to retrieve those who are worthy of rising to Heaven) will take place, and decides that he must find out more about it for himself, and his occasionally headless lover, Anne Boleyn. In the process he faces Satan (and because of him, shoots Hitler), and runs into Virgil and Beatrice, Judas Iscariot, and all three of his wives (not to mention his nude mother). The reader gets to see the various thoughts/self-tortures of all these characters, proving that even in Hell, we are largely responsible for creating our misery, which Satan uses to his advantage.
Anywho, Hatcher faces succubi, Beelzebub and other minions to track down people from his and Anne's pasts to try to find their ways into the Harrowing. But from these meetings, instead of redemption, they only find hurt. But it's just as well because when the time comes for the Harrowing **SPOILER ALERT** Hatcher and Anne are left off the rocket to Heaven. It's okay though, because it was all just a lie. There was no Harrowing. They're still stuck in hot, torturous, acid rain Hell of, well, Hell. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Or is there? Hatcher finally does find a way into Heaven, but it's so lonely and confusing (there are no people there, only Hatcher's favorite latte from Starbucks and a Big Mac waiting for whenever he wants them), and ultimately, Hatcher willingly goes back into Hell. The final line of the book is him shouting to all the other people of hell (everyone who's ever lived, we're led to believe), "I love you all!"
I suppose this is supposed to be profound since the author makes a point of showing how impossible it is for people to say the "L" word in Hell. Like Hatcher has learned something the others do not know; he has become enlightened. And I suppose the point he has learned is that we are more comfortable with being miserable, miserable at the hands of ourselves and others, because without everyone else, without the stimuli of living in a world of which we are a part, all that is left is a lonely illusion of life. *shrugs*
I can get behind that. I get it. But it was still kind of an anti-climactic ending. Meh. 3.5 Stars.
Anyway, the book follows famous news broadcaster Hatcher McCord. He was this in life, and in death. You see, Satan makes him the anchor for the Evening News in Hell. Here, he is doomed to read Bruce Almighty-esque teleprompters, no matter how hard he tries to avoid it, and is responsible for the series "Why Do You Think You're Here?" in which he interviews myriad "celebrities" of past and present (well, at this point they're all past, since they're dead), like Henry VIII, J. Edgar Hoover, Bill Clinton, and even Satan himself. One day, Hatcher hears talk that another Harrowing (Jesus will come to Hell to retrieve those who are worthy of rising to Heaven) will take place, and decides that he must find out more about it for himself, and his occasionally headless lover, Anne Boleyn. In the process he faces Satan (and because of him, shoots Hitler), and runs into Virgil and Beatrice, Judas Iscariot, and all three of his wives (not to mention his nude mother). The reader gets to see the various thoughts/self-tortures of all these characters, proving that even in Hell, we are largely responsible for creating our misery, which Satan uses to his advantage.
Anywho, Hatcher faces succubi, Beelzebub and other minions to track down people from his and Anne's pasts to try to find their ways into the Harrowing. But from these meetings, instead of redemption, they only find hurt. But it's just as well because when the time comes for the Harrowing **SPOILER ALERT** Hatcher and Anne are left off the rocket to Heaven. It's okay though, because it was all just a lie. There was no Harrowing. They're still stuck in hot, torturous, acid rain Hell of, well, Hell. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Or is there? Hatcher finally does find a way into Heaven, but it's so lonely and confusing (there are no people there, only Hatcher's favorite latte from Starbucks and a Big Mac waiting for whenever he wants them), and ultimately, Hatcher willingly goes back into Hell. The final line of the book is him shouting to all the other people of hell (everyone who's ever lived, we're led to believe), "I love you all!"
I suppose this is supposed to be profound since the author makes a point of showing how impossible it is for people to say the "L" word in Hell. Like Hatcher has learned something the others do not know; he has become enlightened. And I suppose the point he has learned is that we are more comfortable with being miserable, miserable at the hands of ourselves and others, because without everyone else, without the stimuli of living in a world of which we are a part, all that is left is a lonely illusion of life. *shrugs*
I can get behind that. I get it. But it was still kind of an anti-climactic ending. Meh. 3.5 Stars.
trudilibrarian's review against another edition
1.0
Not what I was expecting AT ALL. It had its moments in the first 50 pages, then it just went downhill for me after that. I skimmed and jumped around and was never genuinely engaged. I guess I just missed the point.
modernoddity's review against another edition
dark
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
guinness74's review against another edition
1.0
Not impressed. As a matter of fact, several times throughout the book, I was reminded of the title whenever I considered how many pages were left. I only stuck with it because Mr. Butler is a Pulitzer Prize winner (although, not by the standards of this book, in my opinion) and the premise is interesting, just not well done. Anyway, I can't recommend it at all as I barely finished it myself.
mscottbone's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
davidlz1's review against another edition
1.0
This was really a painful read. I thought this would be a humorous book. While there were parts which were comical, the overall theme was anything but. It started off a bit dis-jointed. Then it moved to being uncomfortable. From there it progressed towards comical scenes relying on either well-known historical events or rather recent political events. From there it moved toward character redemption. But then it circled back on itself. In a way it was really challenging the definition of 'hell', but it remained elusive throughout. The one or two laughable moments just really are not worth the read.
Pass on this one.
Pass on this one.
sardugg's review against another edition
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
davidwright's review against another edition
3.0
If you look at most of what I enjoy reading, you’ll understand that every now and then I need a dose of comedy, and this ingenious satiric three ring circus fit the bill well. As with Dante’s Inferno, there’s precious little plot: this one’s mostly about the sightseeing, and much of the entertainment of this book actually stems from the seemingly endless variety and ingenuity of such special punishments, which make Dante look like an amateur. William Randolph Hearst blogs without recourse to the CAPS LOCK, while Shakespeare’s hard drive crashes; Martha Stewart demonstrates how to cook one’s own organs; Dick Cheney grouses Beelzabub over their incompetent bosses, and J. Edgar Hoover goes on TV in drag. Yes, you meet people who haven’t died yet here. George W. Bush is here, perplexed and convinced that he’s actually in Heaven. Who else is in Hell? Hell, who isn’t? So many people show up, some who aren’t even quite dead yet above ground, and one of the book’s main pastimes is celebrity spotting. Was that Christopher Hitchens in a clinch with Mother Theresa? Is that Robert Redford? Are those the Bee Gees? Our hero is Hatcher McCord, an anchorman in life and now one in Hell, all devised as a part of his own special punishment. Other aspects of it include bruising his hip every day in the same place on the same table, and sex that ranges from unsatisfying to ghastly with his girlfriend, the occasionally re-capitated Anne Boleyn. Hatcher’s biggest hit is the “Why Do You Think You’re Here?” show, but his secret talent is a mind that Satan can’t quite control, all of which leads him to enlist Judas Iscariot in a escape attempt. But as I said, plot is beside the point. Hey, was that Christopher Hitchens necking with Mother Theresa, as Celine Dion sings that Titanic song over, and over, and over…? One joke, but he does tell it pretty darned well. I'm thinking this title will be pretty much meaningless in about 10 or 15 years, though.
bei_02's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Body horror, Death, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
princessfabulous's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0