Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Calypso

Meh. Not at all his best. Less "darkly hilarious" and more just dark. There are portions of Sedaris's more typical dry and often self-deprecating humor, but other large stretches just seem a bit bitter and sad. While his family members and relationships have always been a feature in his writing, his lengthy takes on a deceased relative in this book are uncharitable and feel unnecessary (at least living friends and relatives can let Sedaris hear it if they don't appreciate how he describes them and their lives).

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dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

In comparison to other works I've read by Sedaris this one tended a bit darker and less comedic. This did not lessen my experience, but it was unexpected. This book deals heavily with deaths in Sedaris' family and it covers these themes in a very real and forward way. Sedaris does not candy coat his familial relationships--sharing less than positive looks at himself in reference to them. He showcases moments of guilt, strangeness, and difficulty, with his wit still present, if not at the helm as it is usually is.

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