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A review by nematome
The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Bright Lights, Muscle for the Wing, and the Ones You Do by Daniel Woodrell
4.0
I haven’t read very much that could be considered “noir” but I really enjoyed these. It was rewarding to read them in sequence, because I grew more and more attached to the characters and setting with each one.
Under the Bright Lights is an introduction to Rene Shade, a lifetime resident of St. Bruno, Louisiana, and a resigned, morally ambiguous detective.
He was not guided by a total love of law, but he was more for it than against it and this, he felt, made him reasonable. And that was the summit of his aspirations.
Between the neighboring communities of Pan Fry and Frogtown, there is a strict racial divide, and the gangs fight for dominance. Rene and his corpulent partner Blanchete are called in to investigate the murder of a rising star politician from Pan Fry. Both men have strong ties to Frogtown’s underbelly which complicates their involvement. This story also follows Jewel Cobb, an arrogant young patsy with murderous fantasies.
In Muscle For the Wing, Shade is teamed up with a childhood friend, now thug, to catch a cop-killer. Wanda Bone Bouvier, a young, resourceful, and weary woman, finds herself in the unlikely position of gang-leader when her older husband Ronnie is incarcerated.
Without a doubt, The Ones You Do is my favorite of the three. This story follows Shade’s father John X as he returns to Frogtown with Shade’s ten year old half-sister in tow, after his much younger wife runs out on him and leaves him in hot water.
Noir has always seemed like a boy’s club to me. The girls are easy and none too bright, the violence is over the top, and the men are hard and embittered. Yes, I know that this is a stereotype that I need to get over. Actually this whole train of thought led me to google “female noir authors” and I will be heading your way soon, [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1217411179p2/7622.jpg]! My point is, while some of the women in these stories fit the description from above, Daniel Woodrell never fails to make them into fully realized characters. Yes, they are indeed overly sexed and a bit on the slow side, but they are also shrewd and self-preserving, and long-suffering. Wanda Bone Bouvier is one of my favorite characters from this book. She does what she has to do, while dealing with the egos and occasional incompetence around her. She finds happiness with men as she can, but recognizes that with most she is no more than a “highly prized household convenience."
Also, sometimes when I am reading an “intimate” scene featuring one of these ladies it's like I can practically feel the author leering over my shoulder. Jeez buddy, I get it! You have a rape fantasy. That’s very nice. Now, go sit in the corner, because the pages are getting so oily that the sheen is starting to blind me. Well, that never happens here. I actually felt more like Daniel Woodrell was sitting at a respectful distance, arms crossed, eyes mid roll, and saying, “Criminentlies but men are poor posturing bastards, aren’t they?” There are also about seven strong female characters (not to mention a whole handful of great male characters) in The Ones You Do.
It seems really evident to me that Daniel Woodrell gets a lot of joy out of playing with words. The descriptions and dialogue in these stories are just plain fun to read. I listened to this one, and I was flat out amazed when I realized that the narrator is none other than Bronson “Balki” Pinchot! I have to warn my fellow listeners that he is an extremely slow narrator (which makes absolute sense, given the three extra syllables that every word seems to have). I think that he did a fantastic job narrating: he does great accents (ignorant northerners, French gangsters, and Bayou natives) and he does well with both male and female characters. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Perfect Musical Pairing
Why choose just one when I can have three?
John Lee Hooker – Mad Man Blues
These stories are all set near one of the Jazz capitals of the U.S., which is unfortunate because I am sadly lacking in that area. I admit that I don’t really “get” Jazz. I mean, I do like it…but my brain doesn’t explode with awesomeness when I listen to or anything. But, I can definitely appreciate Blues. I feel that the first story is the darkest of the three, and this song definitely fits the mood of it.
She & Him – I Was Made For You
Wanda, I think that you would enjoy this song, which is my little nod to your method of survival. Perhaps this song will also prove useful the next time you take the stage for a “narrative” strip?
Arthur Alexander – Every Day I Have to Cry Some
Arthur Alexander was an extremely talented song writer and performer but he never got the fame that he so deserved. This song, for me, captures the resigned and mournful tone of John X. Shade in the last story.
Under the Bright Lights is an introduction to Rene Shade, a lifetime resident of St. Bruno, Louisiana, and a resigned, morally ambiguous detective.
He was not guided by a total love of law, but he was more for it than against it and this, he felt, made him reasonable. And that was the summit of his aspirations.
Between the neighboring communities of Pan Fry and Frogtown, there is a strict racial divide, and the gangs fight for dominance. Rene and his corpulent partner Blanchete are called in to investigate the murder of a rising star politician from Pan Fry. Both men have strong ties to Frogtown’s underbelly which complicates their involvement. This story also follows Jewel Cobb, an arrogant young patsy with murderous fantasies.
In Muscle For the Wing, Shade is teamed up with a childhood friend, now thug, to catch a cop-killer. Wanda Bone Bouvier, a young, resourceful, and weary woman, finds herself in the unlikely position of gang-leader when her older husband Ronnie is incarcerated.
Without a doubt, The Ones You Do is my favorite of the three. This story follows Shade’s father John X as he returns to Frogtown with Shade’s ten year old half-sister in tow, after his much younger wife runs out on him and leaves him in hot water.
Noir has always seemed like a boy’s club to me. The girls are easy and none too bright, the violence is over the top, and the men are hard and embittered. Yes, I know that this is a stereotype that I need to get over. Actually this whole train of thought led me to google “female noir authors” and I will be heading your way soon, [a:Patricia Highsmith|7622|Patricia Highsmith|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1217411179p2/7622.jpg]! My point is, while some of the women in these stories fit the description from above, Daniel Woodrell never fails to make them into fully realized characters. Yes, they are indeed overly sexed and a bit on the slow side, but they are also shrewd and self-preserving, and long-suffering. Wanda Bone Bouvier is one of my favorite characters from this book. She does what she has to do, while dealing with the egos and occasional incompetence around her. She finds happiness with men as she can, but recognizes that with most she is no more than a “highly prized household convenience."
Also, sometimes when I am reading an “intimate” scene featuring one of these ladies it's like I can practically feel the author leering over my shoulder. Jeez buddy, I get it! You have a rape fantasy. That’s very nice. Now, go sit in the corner, because the pages are getting so oily that the sheen is starting to blind me. Well, that never happens here. I actually felt more like Daniel Woodrell was sitting at a respectful distance, arms crossed, eyes mid roll, and saying, “Criminentlies but men are poor posturing bastards, aren’t they?” There are also about seven strong female characters (not to mention a whole handful of great male characters) in The Ones You Do.
It seems really evident to me that Daniel Woodrell gets a lot of joy out of playing with words. The descriptions and dialogue in these stories are just plain fun to read. I listened to this one, and I was flat out amazed when I realized that the narrator is none other than Bronson “Balki” Pinchot! I have to warn my fellow listeners that he is an extremely slow narrator (which makes absolute sense, given the three extra syllables that every word seems to have). I think that he did a fantastic job narrating: he does great accents (ignorant northerners, French gangsters, and Bayou natives) and he does well with both male and female characters. I highly recommend the audiobook!
Perfect Musical Pairing
Why choose just one when I can have three?
John Lee Hooker – Mad Man Blues
These stories are all set near one of the Jazz capitals of the U.S., which is unfortunate because I am sadly lacking in that area. I admit that I don’t really “get” Jazz. I mean, I do like it…but my brain doesn’t explode with awesomeness when I listen to or anything. But, I can definitely appreciate Blues. I feel that the first story is the darkest of the three, and this song definitely fits the mood of it.
She & Him – I Was Made For You
Wanda, I think that you would enjoy this song, which is my little nod to your method of survival. Perhaps this song will also prove useful the next time you take the stage for a “narrative” strip?
Arthur Alexander – Every Day I Have to Cry Some
Arthur Alexander was an extremely talented song writer and performer but he never got the fame that he so deserved. This song, for me, captures the resigned and mournful tone of John X. Shade in the last story.