The Session: A Novella in Dialogue

by Aaron Petrovich

Funny, frantic, and with a subversive intelligence, Aaron Petrovich’s Keatonesque heroes, Detectives Smith and Smith, stumble upon a bizarre new religion while tracking a murder victim’s stolen organs. Their investigation leads them into a lunatic asylum that they may never leave. Written entirely in dialogue, Petrovich’s pitch-perfect language, reminiscent of Beckett, Chandler, and Duras, elevates rapid-fire banter to a transformative musical litany. His characters, however, remain tragically and hysterically human.

Aaron Petrovich is a writer of fiction and theater living in Brooklyn.

Genres: Fiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaron Petrovich’s The Session is an innovative and compelling "novella in dialogue," told entirely in conversation, with no narrative or expository passages. Two detectives, each confoundingly named Smith, investigate the murder of a philosopher known as "the Mathematician"; their sleuthing takes place inside a mental institution to which the prime suspects have been committed. The older, staid and authoritative Smith and the younger, impetuous and sometimes delusional Smith — possibly the most ineffectual detectives ever — banter endlessly, their verbal slapstick, philosophical digressions, and excessive courtesies preventing them from ever getting to the point and echoing both Beckett’s Vladimir and Estragon and Abbott and Costello’s "Who’s on First?" routine. Other than a psychiatrist who joins the proceedings in a short middle passage, there’s no one to interrupt their rapid-fire patter. It’s often difficult to keep straight who’s speaking, which is disconcerting until you realize that it really doesn’t matter, as despite their character differences they share a common worldview. The Session is a sly meditation on truth and identity; Petrovich's exclusive use of dialogue allows him to partly conceal some unsettling undercurrents and scatter subtle clues to the real story that lurks just beneath the surface of the text, rewarding those willing to give the book a very close reading. (My review, first published in the Chicago Reader, May 31, 2007.)

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Described on the title page as a "novella in dialogue," The Session is a book about thinking in the tradition of Calvino and Borges. With subtle humor and whimsical characters, Petovich muses on the nature of existence and essenses and "making God of an inkling." The two main characters, Detectives Smith and Smith, spend most of their time philosophizing, progressing more on the signification of a grisly murder that on the actual facts of the case. They are searching for the "truth" of the case. Along the way they engage in over-the-top wordplay and semantic argumentation. I don't know if the truth is ever discovered, or if it's merely pointed out that the quest for truth is a futile, madenning experience.

This is the most fun I've had reading in a while, and I hope we'll see more in print from Petrovich in the future. He's a deep thinker capable of rendering his deep thoughts in perfect prose. With a few more publications, I'd expect to see his name at the top of many lists in the writing community.

[anarki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this an hour ago... Dark, sick, twisted, just the way I like it. The succulent joy of being able to see it through psychological lens feeds me like a hungry cannibalistic madman.

4 stars. Because I personally think it would be better if it were in a short story format rather than in a novella dialogue type. But nonetheless, reading this, I feel like a woman was pulling my pants down, and then doing it for me. I almost reached the peak of the mountain of psychophilosophical orgasms.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book enough to write a proper review about it on my site. You can read it here:

http://jim-murdoch.blogspot.com/2008/...

if you're interested.

If you have any interest at all in Samuel Beckett the do have a look.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool little experiment in dialogue. Tasty for what it is. Check it out if you like Beckett. (Many thanks to the Pilot Books bargain rack for this one.)

Beautiful little paperback. Nicely textured cover. Cool illustrations inside. Hotel St. George Press should be proud.

[Spinster Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite stories of all time. It is definitely a good one for re-reading, which is great because it's so short. It's funny and mind-bending, and also a little tragic. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

[Maria Zapanta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post-humorous. Cool, really. I was amused how the characters felt as if both are my close friends and the dialogue was too natural that it hurts not to laugh with them. Blimey, I get so 'feeler' at times. Awesome, awesome~ :)

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd but engaging little bit of Beckett-influenced fun. Back and forth dialogue set (I think) in some sort of mental hospital.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

possibly brilliant, possibly madness, certainly both. i was swept away. this must be read in one sitting with full attention. then if needed you can try it again if you aren't already full.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

manages to emulate beckett in a favorable way...

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flashes of Beckett. Quite strange and very funny, assuming you have my sense of humor. A great way to whittle away an hour.

[Brian Foley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guy should be famous in France.