I never cease to be amazed at how Chuck Palahniuk appears to be a normal person, which I sometimes question while reading his books. Chuck Palahniuk has a history of writing novels with graphic, bordering on gruesome, imagery. Some of his past novels include Fight Club, Lullaby, Snuff, Invisible Monsters, Haunted, and Choke, a couple of which have been made into movies. People have been known to vomit during book readings (specifically, his book Haunted). Don't get me wrong, Palahniuk's writings are not shallow gore-fests; it's more that he uses graphic imagery as part of a deeper storyline. I liken Haunted to a Canterbury Tales from the Crypt. Yes, he's twisted, but there's dark beauty to it.
That being said, Palahniuk's latest novel Pygmy follows suit. Basically, a group of children from an unnamed militaristic society are raised to be terrorists. These teenagers are sent as foreign exchange students to live with mid-Western American families to initiate Operation Havoc. Suburban culture and commercialism is satirized through the eyes of the main character Pygmy. Although Pygmy's broken English was disconcerting at first, once I caught the rhythm it was highly entertaining. He constantly referred to one elderly lady as Most Esteemed Rotting Corpse or Respected Cadaver; due to a prank by his host brother, each girl at school has a name of Madame Funbags or Lady Sweater Meats. Other than the other operatives, most characters are named by a characteristic (Cow Breathing Father, Chicken Mother).
Palahniuk did his research and included threads from numerous dictators and philosophers (Nietsche, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin). An interesting twist is that Pygmy's indoctrination includes the concept that one must commit acts of cruelty in order to justify one's death.
There's definitely some sick moments (rape by sodomy, as well as the details of when a few characters are shot), but I didn't find it too deterring. However, I could be used to his writing style. All in all the book has some wonderfully deep perspectives and entertaining prose.
That being said, Palahniuk's latest novel Pygmy follows suit. Basically, a group of children from an unnamed militaristic society are raised to be terrorists. These teenagers are sent as foreign exchange students to live with mid-Western American families to initiate Operation Havoc. Suburban culture and commercialism is satirized through the eyes of the main character Pygmy. Although Pygmy's broken English was disconcerting at first, once I caught the rhythm it was highly entertaining. He constantly referred to one elderly lady as Most Esteemed Rotting Corpse or Respected Cadaver; due to a prank by his host brother, each girl at school has a name of Madame Funbags or Lady Sweater Meats. Other than the other operatives, most characters are named by a characteristic (Cow Breathing Father, Chicken Mother).
Palahniuk did his research and included threads from numerous dictators and philosophers (Nietsche, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin). An interesting twist is that Pygmy's indoctrination includes the concept that one must commit acts of cruelty in order to justify one's death.
There's definitely some sick moments (rape by sodomy, as well as the details of when a few characters are shot), but I didn't find it too deterring. However, I could be used to his writing style. All in all the book has some wonderfully deep perspectives and entertaining prose.
~ Missa
*MySmiley*
Always remembering Vegas
"Those were the days my friends, we thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day..."
*MySmiley*
Always remembering Vegas
"Those were the days my friends, we thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day..."
Chuck Palahniuk's Pygmy
- 09/01/2010 03:29:02 AM
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