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A review by tyler_dickson
Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A captivating, brutal look at one man’s quest to reach the big time. Stan Carlisle will do whatever it takes—even if he has to leave a few bodies behind.
William Lindsay Gresham’s writing is crisp and beautiful in all the right spots. He paints this picture of a world where everyone has an angle, everyone wants something, and the only person that matters is the one in the mirror. A perfect noir story.
Stan Carlisle is one of literature’s finest characters. It’s a rare feat for an author to be able to generate sympathy for a character who spends most of their time scamming and tricking people. Gresham spends so much time meticulously building his character and providing little detail after little detail that reveals why Stan has ended up on this path.
The other characters, in particular the female ones, are also well-developed with their own motivations and abilities independent from Stan. Between Molly, Zeena, and Dr. Lilith Ritter, I don’t know if many noirs could ever compare to this set of women characters.
Perhaps the biggest strength of the book is the depiction of carny and spiritualist life. Gresham was deeply interested in spiritualism and wrote at length about fairs and spook shows. From page one, you’re dropped into a world of tricks and schemes, and Gresham has all the knowledge necessary to explain what’s happening. He will explain each trick and plausibly create new tricks for Stan to pull off on his rise to the top. There are so many rich details in the small moments that no other author would know or care about explaining.
Dare I say, this is one of the finest tales of American life ever produced. Stan Carlisle is the embodiment of everything wrong with the ruthless, desperate pursuit of the American dream. He steps on toes, abuses people, burns every bridge he can, and even kills to reach the top, and the best part about Gresham’s narrative is that the only thing waiting for him at the top is an even bigger fish.
READ THIS BOOK
William Lindsay Gresham’s writing is crisp and beautiful in all the right spots. He paints this picture of a world where everyone has an angle, everyone wants something, and the only person that matters is the one in the mirror. A perfect noir story.
Stan Carlisle is one of literature’s finest characters. It’s a rare feat for an author to be able to generate sympathy for a character who spends most of their time scamming and tricking people. Gresham spends so much time meticulously building his character and providing little detail after little detail that reveals why Stan has ended up on this path.
The other characters, in particular the female ones, are also well-developed with their own motivations and abilities independent from Stan. Between Molly, Zeena, and Dr. Lilith Ritter, I don’t know if many noirs could ever compare to this set of women characters.
Perhaps the biggest strength of the book is the depiction of carny and spiritualist life. Gresham was deeply interested in spiritualism and wrote at length about fairs and spook shows. From page one, you’re dropped into a world of tricks and schemes, and Gresham has all the knowledge necessary to explain what’s happening. He will explain each trick and plausibly create new tricks for Stan to pull off on his rise to the top. There are so many rich details in the small moments that no other author would know or care about explaining.
Dare I say, this is one of the finest tales of American life ever produced. Stan Carlisle is the embodiment of everything wrong with the ruthless, desperate pursuit of the American dream. He steps on toes, abuses people, burns every bridge he can, and even kills to reach the top, and the best part about Gresham’s narrative is that the only thing waiting for him at the top is an even bigger fish.
READ THIS BOOK
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Animal death and Death