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orlion's review against another edition
4.0
Woke Up Lonely is a novel about frustrated desires. Sure, loneliness is a huge theme and the treatment of it is how Dan rises to power in his cult. However, ultimately, loneliness is a symptom, not a cause. This can make the reading of the novel somewhat confusing, since a lot of the overt discussion is about loneliness. But Dan Thurlow being unable to "heal himself" implies a bit more going on beneath the surface.
The novel centers on two main characters; Dan and Esme; and four minor characters; Anne, Olgo, Bruce, and some guy searching for his lost twin sister whose name escapes me. They are all connected by a cult Dan founded called the Helix, which the government believes to be a developing, dangerous revolutionary group. The government wants to take down Dan (and thus, the Helix) and forces the individual conflicts of our characters to a head.
In the case of the four minor characters, this leads to some revelations and character growth as the events force a resolution in each of their cases. For Dan and Esme, however, the resolution of their arcs are in little doubt. Instead, their sizable portion centers around revealing who they actually are.
A lot of the book is also farcical in nature. These characters are tragic, but there's a certain wry humor narrating the entirety of the events. This wry humor makes the more outlandish aspects of the novel easier to accept.
Overall, a novel about frustrated desires will ultimately frustrate the desires of the reader. The key is to not do it so completely as to turn that frustration into bitter disappointment. In my case, Maazel succeeds in this. The problem of loneliness and frustrated desires are not resolved through any singular character revelation...It's questionable at times if it can be resolved. The individual character plots are wrapped up nicely, however...And perhaps the cure for loneliness and frustrated desires is an acceptance of smaller consolations.
The novel centers on two main characters; Dan and Esme; and four minor characters; Anne, Olgo, Bruce, and some guy searching for his lost twin sister whose name escapes me. They are all connected by a cult Dan founded called the Helix, which the government believes to be a developing, dangerous revolutionary group. The government wants to take down Dan (and thus, the Helix) and forces the individual conflicts of our characters to a head.
In the case of the four minor characters, this leads to some revelations and character growth as the events force a resolution in each of their cases. For Dan and Esme, however, the resolution of their arcs are in little doubt. Instead, their sizable portion centers around revealing who they actually are.
A lot of the book is also farcical in nature. These characters are tragic, but there's a certain wry humor narrating the entirety of the events. This wry humor makes the more outlandish aspects of the novel easier to accept.
Overall, a novel about frustrated desires will ultimately frustrate the desires of the reader. The key is to not do it so completely as to turn that frustration into bitter disappointment. In my case, Maazel succeeds in this. The problem of loneliness and frustrated desires are not resolved through any singular character revelation...It's questionable at times if it can be resolved. The individual character plots are wrapped up nicely, however...And perhaps the cure for loneliness and frustrated desires is an acceptance of smaller consolations.
mattnixon's review against another edition
1.0
I can’t think of a book I’ve disliked more than Woke Up Lonely. I’ve left books disappointed, unnerved, irritated or angry that I wasted my time. Woke Up Lonely left me feeling grateful to rid myself of the company of a smiling sadist.
There’s lots of great (and good…even passable) literature that deals with unpleasant, difficult, damaged and flawed characters. There’s just as many worthy works that shine light on tragic, fantastic and far-flung “realities”. I found no emotional or social truth in Woke Up Lonely…it feels like the glimpse into the mind of a sociopath looking into the hearts of men. It’s shocking—and unprecedented in my reading experience—how much contempt author Fiona Maazel has for her creations and, by proxy, her readers.
Admittedly, I never figured out the story’s stylistic locale. The book is tethered to (and utilizes) a very specific moment in U.S. history (2000 and 2005) and world geopolitics: the Bush-year mindset and contemporary world events very much drive story and plot mechanics. However, dialogue, action, character motivations and story elements are so farcical that they could not actually happen in even the most extreme state of fictional hyper-realism. It’s like the Scooby-Doo gang as the leads in Zero Dark Thirty (Zero Zoinks Thirty?). It’s not literary juxtaposition when elements are so incongruous that they undermine and invalidate the other. No one and nothing here is true.
I could go on explicating the broad, unreal characters, the muddy and confusing POV shifts, the nonsensical too-clever-by-half loop-de-loop metaphors and look-at-my-thesaurus dialogue, but it’s really not worth it. I try to judge a work on how well it accomplishes what it’s trying to do. I’m at an complete—unprecedented for me—loss for what Maazel is doing unless it’s to create a book that makes you hate humankind for being human. Whatever charity I can extend to a flawed work withers up in the face of the contempt Maazel exhibits for her characters, her readers and her fellow women and men.
Maazel may well have cut this feeling some with a series of happy endings for the characters. I don’t know…I quit reading on page 270 (out of 320ish) after I saw how she concluded one main character’s story.
Overwritten, self-pleased, misanthropic, emotionally false and contemptuous, Woke Up Lonely’s sole notable attribute may be that it somehow dislikes me more than I dislike it. And I hated Woke Up Lonely.
There’s lots of great (and good…even passable) literature that deals with unpleasant, difficult, damaged and flawed characters. There’s just as many worthy works that shine light on tragic, fantastic and far-flung “realities”. I found no emotional or social truth in Woke Up Lonely…it feels like the glimpse into the mind of a sociopath looking into the hearts of men. It’s shocking—and unprecedented in my reading experience—how much contempt author Fiona Maazel has for her creations and, by proxy, her readers.
Admittedly, I never figured out the story’s stylistic locale. The book is tethered to (and utilizes) a very specific moment in U.S. history (2000 and 2005) and world geopolitics: the Bush-year mindset and contemporary world events very much drive story and plot mechanics. However, dialogue, action, character motivations and story elements are so farcical that they could not actually happen in even the most extreme state of fictional hyper-realism. It’s like the Scooby-Doo gang as the leads in Zero Dark Thirty (Zero Zoinks Thirty?). It’s not literary juxtaposition when elements are so incongruous that they undermine and invalidate the other. No one and nothing here is true.
I could go on explicating the broad, unreal characters, the muddy and confusing POV shifts, the nonsensical too-clever-by-half loop-de-loop metaphors and look-at-my-thesaurus dialogue, but it’s really not worth it. I try to judge a work on how well it accomplishes what it’s trying to do. I’m at an complete—unprecedented for me—loss for what Maazel is doing unless it’s to create a book that makes you hate humankind for being human. Whatever charity I can extend to a flawed work withers up in the face of the contempt Maazel exhibits for her characters, her readers and her fellow women and men.
Maazel may well have cut this feeling some with a series of happy endings for the characters. I don’t know…I quit reading on page 270 (out of 320ish) after I saw how she concluded one main character’s story.
Overwritten, self-pleased, misanthropic, emotionally false and contemptuous, Woke Up Lonely’s sole notable attribute may be that it somehow dislikes me more than I dislike it. And I hated Woke Up Lonely.
auntsarah's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
kjboldon's review against another edition
2.0
probably 2 1/2 but I'm taking a point off for prostitutes then rounding up. Prostitutes are not funny, or sexy, or stock characters and I find writing them as such is flippant and offensive.
As for book, interesting idea about cult leader, written as absurd. Intermittently entertaining. Reminded me of Leftovers and May We Be Forgiven, but less well executed. No differentiation in characters' voices, speaking versus writing. Longest index cards ever, and book often a slog at times even at only 300 pages. Shorter and tighter, this might've worked.
As for book, interesting idea about cult leader, written as absurd. Intermittently entertaining. Reminded me of Leftovers and May We Be Forgiven, but less well executed. No differentiation in characters' voices, speaking versus writing. Longest index cards ever, and book often a slog at times even at only 300 pages. Shorter and tighter, this might've worked.
edboies's review against another edition
2.0
Some good ideas but so many juvenile and cheap choices. Gave up after 50 or so pages.
v_iaggio's review against another edition
2.0
This book fluctuated between compelling to flat, incredibly articulate to clunky, profound to wha?
wordnerdy's review against another edition
4.0
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-book-13.html
morphean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
melissarochelle's review against another edition
1.0
What is the point of this book? I've met many characters...I know there's some kind of relationship...but what am I even reading (CIA agent has a relationship with someone she shouldn't? She's recruiting people? He's recruiting people to a cult? Wtf?) and WHY? So after reading around 28%, I'm done wasting my time.
Well, I started reading it because of the Tournament of Books and I'm abandoning because I just don't care about this book. I'll be crushed if this knocks out Atkinson's LIFE AFTER LIFE in the pre-tournament round (and I will harshly judge the person that makes that decision).
Well, I started reading it because of the Tournament of Books and I'm abandoning because I just don't care about this book. I'll be crushed if this knocks out Atkinson's LIFE AFTER LIFE in the pre-tournament round (and I will harshly judge the person that makes that decision).
abbeyjfox's review against another edition
2.0
Oh man, I wanted to love this book. Sincerely. I love the concepts - exploring loneliness within the context of community - the power dynamics of loneliness between leaders & followers - political conceptions of loneliness (and East vs. West). The idea behind this book is SO strong and interesting.
And yet, the delivery is treacherous to get through. Maazel is a talented writer, no doubt. Amazing imagery, fantastic one liners; but this book was trying to do TOO much. It was mostly confusing, stuck between wanting to be a philosophy book or just fiction, and just chaotic- but not in an intended or satisfying way.
I would have preferred an unpacking of just one of the characters or story lines instead of minimal information about over 10 people with many different plots and chaos.
That being said, I finished it - which I normally don't do when I'm feeling frustrated. That's because I feel so much promise in the ideas behind this book. It made me conceptualize & think about loneliness (and togetherness) in very specific ways...but something important was off. I am so sad to report this!
And yet, the delivery is treacherous to get through. Maazel is a talented writer, no doubt. Amazing imagery, fantastic one liners; but this book was trying to do TOO much. It was mostly confusing, stuck between wanting to be a philosophy book or just fiction, and just chaotic- but not in an intended or satisfying way.
I would have preferred an unpacking of just one of the characters or story lines instead of minimal information about over 10 people with many different plots and chaos.
That being said, I finished it - which I normally don't do when I'm feeling frustrated. That's because I feel so much promise in the ideas behind this book. It made me conceptualize & think about loneliness (and togetherness) in very specific ways...but something important was off. I am so sad to report this!