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A review by dfwsusie
Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto
5.0
I did not expect to give this book more than 3 stars after it was recommended to me by Goodreads. I figured it would be more suited to a easy read on the treadmill kind of book. Thankfully, that is not remotely the case.
I certainly see the comparisons to Cormac McCarthy, right in the first section. I'm often drawn to novels with inherently flawed characters. There is no doubt that almost every character you meet in this book is inherently flawed, but many are also redeemable. Many authors make the mistake of trying to make their characters heroic and shoving it down the reader's throat. People aren't really like that. Life isn't really like that. Pizzolatto does a remarkable job of letting his characters in both "Galveston" and True Detective be inherently human and it's believable. His writing is rather sparse, but there are some remarkable truths contained there.
Side thought about location: I live in Texas and have spent a fair amount of time in Louisiana (and around a Louisianan or fifty). Unlike the last book I read, "The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh, it is clear the author understands this part of the deep south in a way many would not. After completing "The Weight of Blood" I wondered whether the author had actually ever been to that part of the Ozarks or just read the travel guide. It was so one note. While I find both the depiction of Louisiana and East Texas in True Detective and Galveston rather terrifying, it feels real.
Personal Notes: I bought this it before watching True Detective and had intended on listening to it on Audible and reading. Instead, I started reading the book last evening and finished it around 4am. Apparently I didn't need to purchase the audiobook also, since I read it straight through. I'm not one who much likes to write reviews on here because it's impossible to not spoil what I found that I loved in most novels. I guess I'll leave the deeper discussion to the next person I know that reads it. We can have a fine chat over some Lone Star Beers.
I certainly see the comparisons to Cormac McCarthy, right in the first section. I'm often drawn to novels with inherently flawed characters. There is no doubt that almost every character you meet in this book is inherently flawed, but many are also redeemable. Many authors make the mistake of trying to make their characters heroic and shoving it down the reader's throat. People aren't really like that. Life isn't really like that. Pizzolatto does a remarkable job of letting his characters in both "Galveston" and True Detective be inherently human and it's believable. His writing is rather sparse, but there are some remarkable truths contained there.
Side thought about location: I live in Texas and have spent a fair amount of time in Louisiana (and around a Louisianan or fifty). Unlike the last book I read, "The Weight of Blood" by Laura McHugh, it is clear the author understands this part of the deep south in a way many would not. After completing "The Weight of Blood" I wondered whether the author had actually ever been to that part of the Ozarks or just read the travel guide. It was so one note. While I find both the depiction of Louisiana and East Texas in True Detective and Galveston rather terrifying, it feels real.
Personal Notes: I bought this it before watching True Detective and had intended on listening to it on Audible and reading. Instead, I started reading the book last evening and finished it around 4am. Apparently I didn't need to purchase the audiobook also, since I read it straight through. I'm not one who much likes to write reviews on here because it's impossible to not spoil what I found that I loved in most novels. I guess I'll leave the deeper discussion to the next person I know that reads it. We can have a fine chat over some Lone Star Beers.