User

by Blake Nelson

User Blake Nelson "User is a dysfunctional love story laced with random sex, heroin and hopelessness. Mitch Smith is 24. His crappy day jobs, one night stands, drinking and driving in his friend's '72 Dodge Charger. In his quest for hipster status, one of his sexual conquests becomes something more, and he must choose between mundane love or continuing to pursue the unattainable.

Genres: Fiction

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Blake Nelson grew up in Portland, Oregon. He began his career writing short humor pieces for Details Magazine.

His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.

His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.

His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.

His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an out of print, extremely hard to find early novel of Blake Nelson's...I was lucky enough to get this autographed copy from Amazon....User is the story of sleazy Mitch who fantasizes himself as a hipster...his goals are to get laid and get high... he screws any girl who will let him while trying to pick up on the girl he likes best, Tracey who is a scammer like him. It was interesting to read about someone with such a low intellect who thought he was so cool when he was completely average and uninteresting. I still don't understand why these girls slept with him! But this was a very fast read and a must for any fan of Blake Nelson...

[Sycobabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style is simple, no fancy sentences but I just got sucked in. The main character is mostly a dick, and the characters are shallow scenesters but... it's addictive. It's kind of like Larry Clark's Kids. You don't like these people, but the train wreck is well documented.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blake deserves a solid five on this one; and I'd like to add another star for Beth Lisick, the book's covergirl.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so badly wanted this to be as good as Girl, but it just did not measure up.

[Amy D.P. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I spent a few hours of my life reading this book that I'll never get back!

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

bleak & rather unoriginal. kind of fun to read given that i was in portland at the time, so the place names stuck out

[Jamison Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd favorite book of his I've read (other than Girl). Look at 90s Portland disaffected 20 somethings. Main character is pretty unlikeable, but in a very realistic way.