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X.
Cale is a young man who struggles with an unusual addiction and eventually it makes him realize what really matters to him. This is his narrative. It is often unreliable and unpredictable. He is occasionally delusional, and always over thinks. Reality is grounded in the footnotes that accompany his thoughts. It takes more than it should for Cale to come back to that reality.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2012
43 people want to read
About the author
Matt Thompson
4 books5 followers"Fiction's about what it is to be a f***ing human being."
-David Foster Wallace
A student of contemporary fiction and an avid reader, Matt Thompson writes what needs to be said. His unique vision for fiction puzzles and shocks his readers. He is a resident of Georgia, and is currently a graduate student.
Some quotes from reviewers:
"Delightfully morbid...in my humble opinion, such writers are far and few between."
"M. Thompson has done an in-depth character study that seems chillingly real."
"I thought it was great book that once I started reading I had a hard time putting down."
"If you are bold enough to pick up the book Cale is a character that will stay with you long after you put it down."
" And the writing is good, honest and forthright."
What are you waiting for?
-David Foster Wallace
A student of contemporary fiction and an avid reader, Matt Thompson writes what needs to be said. His unique vision for fiction puzzles and shocks his readers. He is a resident of Georgia, and is currently a graduate student.
Some quotes from reviewers:
"Delightfully morbid...in my humble opinion, such writers are far and few between."
"M. Thompson has done an in-depth character study that seems chillingly real."
"I thought it was great book that once I started reading I had a hard time putting down."
"If you are bold enough to pick up the book Cale is a character that will stay with you long after you put it down."
" And the writing is good, honest and forthright."
What are you waiting for?
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 26, 2013
This is, to say the least, an unusual story. There isn't much I can say without spoiling the plot, so I'll stick to my impressions and reactions to the narrative.
"X" is skillfully told in first person, an artistic choice that pulls readers almost uncomfortably close to a main character/narrator who obviously has serious issues, of which he's aware, and that he's initially unable or unwilling to manage. Cale pretends he has a perfect life: an apparently stable marriage and a healthy relationship with his mother, father-in-law and his wife. Cale, however, is a character so contradictory that I kept turning the pages to see how soon (and how catastrophically) he would crash. An intellectual, as evidenced by the dozens of references that add to the narrative, he seems to be at peace with his job in the meat-packing industry, something I never quite understood, but that makes sense for a character who hides the truth about his habits and affectations, his marriage and a father who fails him over and over again with his absence. His interesting contradictions lie in everything about him: given his issues, how true are his feelings for his wife? How tight is his love for his mother (not very, but whose child's is)? What, exactly, are his feelings for his father and does he fear that he's inherited his father's alleged aberrations? And most importantly, to me, how real is his issue, and his path to resolve it? Is he committed to change, or does he just go through life and his circumstances as a witness rather than a participant?
The author does a good job, and it's not my place to point out the random typos that can be easily fixed in a second edition and which I'm sure the author is aware of. The footnotes and references, although distracting (the links didn't always work well) point to a rather revolutionary way of reading that is very interactive and shows readers aspects of Cale's psyche that might otherwise be more elusive. It works for "X" and I expect to see more of this trend in contemporary lit. Readers should overlook these quirks and focus on a strange, introspective, enthralling and authentically disturbed character and enjoy a very peculiar and enjoyable ride. Kudos to Mr. Thompson, whose writing I look forward to following.
Conchie Fernandez, Author, "Undrawn"
December 26, 2012
Do not get me wrong apart from a few editing errors and long winded sentences this is well written. It was just the wrong choice for me and to be honest I would never have downloaded it to my Kindle had I not been desperate to find a book beginning with X for the 2012 Title Challenge that I have been participating in. The complexities of the storyline which I found confusing were I think not helped by the 168 bracketed annotations! Not easily accessible in an ebook, as they were all at the end, even this I did not realise until I got there, having wondered what an earth the numbers were all about. Maybe this particular book would have worked better for me as a paper version as then I would have flipped the pages to read the footnotes as I read. Maybe this is not the authors intention though as each section does read ok alone, I just would have preferred not to have done so. Anyway the format just did not work for me although others may find it very interesting for just the reasons I found it strange.
The story is not for the prudish as there is detailed explicit content of a sexual nature because the protagonist Cale is a young man battling against a most unusual addiction. He rambles and is often delusional, the footnotes that follow being the more grounded telling of events as his addiction ruins not only his life but those of his loved ones as well. A candid look at someone with a severe addiction that although he has acknowledged it is one, has done nothing to obtain help. It is important to remember that the point of view is all Cale's, in the first part of the novel. Some of my thoughts did change after reading the annotation section and seeing things from the point of view of other characters. It is not until right near the somewhat emotional ending of the novel that Cale seems to suddenly become perceptive as events unfold.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
The story is not for the prudish as there is detailed explicit content of a sexual nature because the protagonist Cale is a young man battling against a most unusual addiction. He rambles and is often delusional, the footnotes that follow being the more grounded telling of events as his addiction ruins not only his life but those of his loved ones as well. A candid look at someone with a severe addiction that although he has acknowledged it is one, has done nothing to obtain help. It is important to remember that the point of view is all Cale's, in the first part of the novel. Some of my thoughts did change after reading the annotation section and seeing things from the point of view of other characters. It is not until right near the somewhat emotional ending of the novel that Cale seems to suddenly become perceptive as events unfold.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
October 22, 2014
This was an... interesting read. It tells the story of Cale, a 25-year-old man with an addiction to hard-core pornography/masturbation. Although this may not sound particularly serious, the first part of the novel details how this interferes with his job (he gets fired), his marriage (his wife thinks he's cheating), and most other aspects of his life. Once his secret comes out, Cale finally begins to admit he has a problem, and attempts to deal with it.
This was a rather interesting and unique topic... and it was written as such. The majority of the book consisted of too many sentences and fragments run together, more like a stream of consciousness then actual writing (to the point where there wouldn't be a full stop for pages and pages). And while this was jarring at first, after a while, I came to like, as it really allowed you to get into Cale's head, and in some sections I actually thought it worked quite well to really put you in the moment and think as Cale was thinking (and, let's be honest, how we all sometimes think). However, I think this style went too far when used in speech; people don't always speak like that; they pause quite often, which in writing would come across as a full stop. I think this technique would have been better used more sparingly.
This story also used footnotes as a why of clarifying points, providing further information and insight into characters, and generally to pain Cale as an unreliable narrator. This was something I haven't really seen before, and I thought it was an interesting and enjoyable edition. The novel has a whole could have done well from another round or two of editing, however, as there were many typos and grammatical errors.
What perhaps disappointed me most about this book (and subsequently bought down the rating), was that I felt the issue at heart was not fully resolved. Sure, bigger issues came up, and there was good, believable character growth in Cale, but I feel like the root of his addiction was not addressed, nor were the consequences fully dealt with. Whilst the ending was positive and uplifting, I would have preferred more closure on these key point.
So overall an interesting and sort-of enjoyable read. 2.5/5 stars.
This was a rather interesting and unique topic... and it was written as such. The majority of the book consisted of too many sentences and fragments run together, more like a stream of consciousness then actual writing (to the point where there wouldn't be a full stop for pages and pages). And while this was jarring at first, after a while, I came to like, as it really allowed you to get into Cale's head, and in some sections I actually thought it worked quite well to really put you in the moment and think as Cale was thinking (and, let's be honest, how we all sometimes think). However, I think this style went too far when used in speech; people don't always speak like that; they pause quite often, which in writing would come across as a full stop. I think this technique would have been better used more sparingly.
This story also used footnotes as a why of clarifying points, providing further information and insight into characters, and generally to pain Cale as an unreliable narrator. This was something I haven't really seen before, and I thought it was an interesting and enjoyable edition. The novel has a whole could have done well from another round or two of editing, however, as there were many typos and grammatical errors.
What perhaps disappointed me most about this book (and subsequently bought down the rating), was that I felt the issue at heart was not fully resolved. Sure, bigger issues came up, and there was good, believable character growth in Cale, but I feel like the root of his addiction was not addressed, nor were the consequences fully dealt with. Whilst the ending was positive and uplifting, I would have preferred more closure on these key point.
So overall an interesting and sort-of enjoyable read. 2.5/5 stars.
June 15, 2013
This adult novel, by Matt Thompson, is a very unusual read.
X, delivers Cale's story, which is unusual and bizzare!
This book may suit a male audience more, but I was left with unusual feelings after reading it, even a little angry! As a woman I am unable to really understand how a happily married man can jerk off to hard core porn, five or more times a day and keep it hidden from anyone in his life.
Even though the book is well written, I found it hard to believe and very strange.
X, delivers Cale's story, which is unusual and bizzare!
This book may suit a male audience more, but I was left with unusual feelings after reading it, even a little angry! As a woman I am unable to really understand how a happily married man can jerk off to hard core porn, five or more times a day and keep it hidden from anyone in his life.
Even though the book is well written, I found it hard to believe and very strange.
September 9, 2016
My review from amazon.com dated
Title: I liked the subnotes of this book.
A lot of people are complaining about the sub notes of this book and how hard it is to read it. I actually really enjoyed reading what was going around him that he did not notice. It was definitely an unique book.
My only issue is the ending I like where it ended but not how it ended. I wish there was more closure between his wife, father in law, and mother.
Title: I liked the subnotes of this book.
A lot of people are complaining about the sub notes of this book and how hard it is to read it. I actually really enjoyed reading what was going around him that he did not notice. It was definitely an unique book.
My only issue is the ending I like where it ended but not how it ended. I wish there was more closure between his wife, father in law, and mother.
July 15, 2015
There was nothing to recommend this book at all. Weak story, weak writer, poor spelling, grammar and word choice. Just all around blah, except for the oh-so-enjoyable animal abuse. That's a trend that can stop right now please. Just stop.
June 23, 2013
Great book. Was very difficult to put down after I started reading it. I enjoyed that it took a different path than some regular formulaic pop-fiction. 5 stars no doubt.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews