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Undone
Things have not been going well for Dez. He’s broke, jobless, angry and without a future. Then he happens to see an episode of “Tovah in the Afternoon” featuring the fabulously successful memoirist Jasper Ulrickson…
A masterful satire, this novel hinges on celebrity envy-and the anarchic imperatives of desire. Dez, determined to bring Jasper down to his own level, devises a diabolical scheme to ruin Jasper’s reputation and seize his fortune. He uses a novel weapon: forbidden Eros. What ensues is a descent into psychological nightmare, one lit with dark flashes of humor and illuminating tragedy. Like watching Othello fall to Iago’s masterful manipulations, we are riveted by Dez’s cruel trick, this coldly calculated attempt to destroy another human being-this spectacle of an upright man brought low by envy and the implacable demands of desire.
A risk-taking and courageous novel unsparing in its dissection of the erotic impulse, Undone speaks to our era’s corrosive fascination with the cult of celebrity, money and the compulsion to get ahead at all costs.
A masterful satire, this novel hinges on celebrity envy-and the anarchic imperatives of desire. Dez, determined to bring Jasper down to his own level, devises a diabolical scheme to ruin Jasper’s reputation and seize his fortune. He uses a novel weapon: forbidden Eros. What ensues is a descent into psychological nightmare, one lit with dark flashes of humor and illuminating tragedy. Like watching Othello fall to Iago’s masterful manipulations, we are riveted by Dez’s cruel trick, this coldly calculated attempt to destroy another human being-this spectacle of an upright man brought low by envy and the implacable demands of desire.
A risk-taking and courageous novel unsparing in its dissection of the erotic impulse, Undone speaks to our era’s corrosive fascination with the cult of celebrity, money and the compulsion to get ahead at all costs.
394 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2015
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429 people want to read
About the author
John Colapinto
14 books82 followersAn award-winning journalist, author and novelist and is currently a staff writer at The New Yorker.
Prior to working at The New Yorker, Colapinto wrote for Vanity Fair, New York magazine and The New York Times Magazine, and in 1995 he became a contributing editor at Rolling Stone,[1] where he published feature stories on a variety of subjects ranging from AIDS, to kids and guns, to heroin in the music business, to Penthouse magazine creator, Bob Guccione (his Guccione story was a finalist for the ASME award in profile writing in 2004). In 1998, he published a 20,000 word feature story in Rolling Stone titled The True Story of John/Joan, an account of David Reimer, who had undergone a sex change in infancy—a medical experiment long heralded as a success, but which was, in fact, a failure. The story, which detailed not only Reimer's tortured life, but the medical scandal surrounding its cover-up, won the ASME Award for reporting and in 2000, Colapinto published a book-length account of the case, As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Girl. The book was a New York Times bestseller and the film rights were bought by Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Colapinto also wrote a novel, About the Author, a tale of literary envy and theft. It was published in August 2001 and was a number 6 pick on the Booksense 76 list of best novels of the season; it was a nominee for the IMPAC literary award and for a number of years was under option by Dreamworks, where playwright Patrick Marber (Closer and Howard Katz) wrote a screen adaptation. The film rights to the novel have since been acquired by producer Scott Rudin.
As a writer for The New Yorker, Colapinto has written about subjects as diverse as medicinal leeches; Sotheby's auctioneer Tobias Meyer; fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld and Rick Owens; the linguistic oddities of the Pirahã people (an Amazonian tribe); and Paul McCartney. His piece on the Piraha was anthologized in "The Best American Science and Nature Writing" (2008); his New Yorker story about loss prevention (anti-theft in stores) was included in "The Best American Crime Reporting" (2009);[2] and his New Yorker profile of neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran was selected by Freeman Dyson for inclusion in "The Best American Science and Nature Writing" (2010).
John Colapinto lives on New York City's Upper East Side. He is married to fashion illustrator and artist, Donna Mehalko, and they have one son.
-Wikipedia
Prior to working at The New Yorker, Colapinto wrote for Vanity Fair, New York magazine and The New York Times Magazine, and in 1995 he became a contributing editor at Rolling Stone,[1] where he published feature stories on a variety of subjects ranging from AIDS, to kids and guns, to heroin in the music business, to Penthouse magazine creator, Bob Guccione (his Guccione story was a finalist for the ASME award in profile writing in 2004). In 1998, he published a 20,000 word feature story in Rolling Stone titled The True Story of John/Joan, an account of David Reimer, who had undergone a sex change in infancy—a medical experiment long heralded as a success, but which was, in fact, a failure. The story, which detailed not only Reimer's tortured life, but the medical scandal surrounding its cover-up, won the ASME Award for reporting and in 2000, Colapinto published a book-length account of the case, As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As A Girl. The book was a New York Times bestseller and the film rights were bought by Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Colapinto also wrote a novel, About the Author, a tale of literary envy and theft. It was published in August 2001 and was a number 6 pick on the Booksense 76 list of best novels of the season; it was a nominee for the IMPAC literary award and for a number of years was under option by Dreamworks, where playwright Patrick Marber (Closer and Howard Katz) wrote a screen adaptation. The film rights to the novel have since been acquired by producer Scott Rudin.
As a writer for The New Yorker, Colapinto has written about subjects as diverse as medicinal leeches; Sotheby's auctioneer Tobias Meyer; fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld and Rick Owens; the linguistic oddities of the Pirahã people (an Amazonian tribe); and Paul McCartney. His piece on the Piraha was anthologized in "The Best American Science and Nature Writing" (2008); his New Yorker story about loss prevention (anti-theft in stores) was included in "The Best American Crime Reporting" (2009);[2] and his New Yorker profile of neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran was selected by Freeman Dyson for inclusion in "The Best American Science and Nature Writing" (2010).
John Colapinto lives on New York City's Upper East Side. He is married to fashion illustrator and artist, Donna Mehalko, and they have one son.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 20, 2016
I'd like to start this off by clarifying that I don't know John Colapinto personally, but we've shared brief emails and 140 characters on Twitter, and after reading UNDONE, I can honestly say he is one of the most intriguing authors I've had the pleasure of reading. It goes beyond his impressive professional titles and an unjust 41 rejections from publishers around the world. His tone, style, and voice are an enigma, and I'm glad I discovered his work when I did.
UNDONE only took me days to finish. I devoured it during every spare moment I had from the moment it hit my iPad. It was the hype and "banned book" reputation UNDONE has that sparked my interest in the first place. There's a special place in my heart for anti-heroes and books about society's black sheep. I cheer for the bad guys, so this was right up my alley.
After reading the first chapter, I was hooked. UNDONE is dark and compelling and stunningly written. (The writing is superb.) It's as if Caroline Kepnes, Gillan Flynn, and Nabokov collaborated and wrote a book just for me. With the YOU/Gone Girl/Lolita vibe, I was in literary heaven. This type of book, with this type of honesty about human nature, this well written is near impossible to come by in the self-publish age.
My favorite of the three main characters is Dez, and it's probably because he is f***ed up and not even a little apologetic about it. Dez isn't in denial about his shortcomings ... quite the opposite, actually. He embraces what makes him different from the "norm" and explains it in depth without making excuses or blaming it on some dark past. He is who he is, and that's it. Dez's character is consistent, conniving, and absolutely dangerous, and I was too absorbed to look away.
My only complaint about UNDONE is that is wasn't long enough.
Let me explain what I mean.
There's all this talk about UNDONE breaking rules and blurring the lines between right and wrong. I went into the book anticipating content so daring it warranted being rejected 41 times. These character's are supposed to be psychotic, disgusting ... not worthy of mass print. I don't feel like I got that at all, to be honest. The plot is edgy, but the buildup is dramatic at best. Colapinto took it right to the brim of disaster, and then backed off. I don't want to say he wrote a safe story, but I wanted more. I was dying to see the relationship between Jasper and Chloe go south, but all I got was a blackout and bits and pieces in the morning. Does that make me sick? Probably. But Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is one of my favorite books, and I was hoping UNDONE would deliver on that scale.
So that made me wonder why publishers are afraid to buy UNDONE. John Colapinto has proven he can sell books and that he's good enough to be on bookstore shelves. Why would so many pass on such a well-written, riveting novel? UNDONE isn't mainstream, but it's fantastic! It doesn't deserve the reputation it's been given. Colapinto is being snubbed. And it only leaves me to believe that publishers are wildly out of touch and blind to what serious readers want.
I'm no one special. There's other people who are better read and smarter than I am. There's no doubt I've misplaced commas and written run-on sentences in this review. But I know what I like, and I loved this. Five stars.
UNDONE only took me days to finish. I devoured it during every spare moment I had from the moment it hit my iPad. It was the hype and "banned book" reputation UNDONE has that sparked my interest in the first place. There's a special place in my heart for anti-heroes and books about society's black sheep. I cheer for the bad guys, so this was right up my alley.
After reading the first chapter, I was hooked. UNDONE is dark and compelling and stunningly written. (The writing is superb.) It's as if Caroline Kepnes, Gillan Flynn, and Nabokov collaborated and wrote a book just for me. With the YOU/Gone Girl/Lolita vibe, I was in literary heaven. This type of book, with this type of honesty about human nature, this well written is near impossible to come by in the self-publish age.
My favorite of the three main characters is Dez, and it's probably because he is f***ed up and not even a little apologetic about it. Dez isn't in denial about his shortcomings ... quite the opposite, actually. He embraces what makes him different from the "norm" and explains it in depth without making excuses or blaming it on some dark past. He is who he is, and that's it. Dez's character is consistent, conniving, and absolutely dangerous, and I was too absorbed to look away.
My only complaint about UNDONE is that is wasn't long enough.
Let me explain what I mean.
There's all this talk about UNDONE breaking rules and blurring the lines between right and wrong. I went into the book anticipating content so daring it warranted being rejected 41 times. These character's are supposed to be psychotic, disgusting ... not worthy of mass print. I don't feel like I got that at all, to be honest. The plot is edgy, but the buildup is dramatic at best. Colapinto took it right to the brim of disaster, and then backed off. I don't want to say he wrote a safe story, but I wanted more. I was dying to see the relationship between Jasper and Chloe go south, but all I got was a blackout and bits and pieces in the morning. Does that make me sick? Probably. But Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma is one of my favorite books, and I was hoping UNDONE would deliver on that scale.
So that made me wonder why publishers are afraid to buy UNDONE. John Colapinto has proven he can sell books and that he's good enough to be on bookstore shelves. Why would so many pass on such a well-written, riveting novel? UNDONE isn't mainstream, but it's fantastic! It doesn't deserve the reputation it's been given. Colapinto is being snubbed. And it only leaves me to believe that publishers are wildly out of touch and blind to what serious readers want.
I'm no one special. There's other people who are better read and smarter than I am. There's no doubt I've misplaced commas and written run-on sentences in this review. But I know what I like, and I loved this. Five stars.
May 27, 2016
“We plead biological necessity when caught straying. But that’s often just a convenient rationalization to explain away a moment of moral failure— of weakness. We can control ourselves.”
UNDONE is a weird, wild, thought-provoking and very witty story. It is part erotic thriller, part suspense and all satire. I finished this book a few weeks ago and had to think about the story for a while. This is a very risky book that is certainly not for everyone but is a fascinating commentary on society's obsession with celebrity and fame. UNDONE centers around Dez, a dangerous predator who is living with his former student, Chloe. Dez has a sick obsession with teenage girls, but totally rationalizes his unhealthy attraction and blames everyone else for his problems. He is smart but very, very troubled and borders on sociopathic. He ha convinced himself that his relationship with the teenage Chloe is almost normal.
"But on a deeper level, shielded, hidden, he recognized some profound connection between them. He felt an almost frightening reliance on her, an emotional dependence. The feeling was unprecedented for him and brought him a form of happiness."
Dez becomes obsessed with Jasper, a famous author who has written a best-selling book about his family. Dez creates a diabolical scheme to destroy Jasper, enlisting the gullible Chloe in his plan. So begins a suspenseful story that literally rockets along to a stunning conclusion, filled with biting commentary, completely inappropriate characters and very, very taboo subjects.
There is no question that John Colapinto is a brilliant writer and his prose and plot are flawless. BUT this book is NOT for the faint of heart or anyone who is offended by forbidden subjects! If you are looking for a standard romantic suspense novel, move along, because UNDONE is not for you. But if you love to read something different, incredibly creative and very challenging, then this is the book for you. Kudos to John Colapinto for tackling some very dangerous themes in an incredibly creative way. I found UNDONE to be enormously readable and I encourage anyone who loves something different to give this book a try.
On another note, I find it incredible that the author received over 40 rejection letters for this book! It is in no way the most taboo book I have ever read and I am glad that the publisher gave this book a chance.
(Copy gifted by the author in return for an honest review.)
UNDONE is a weird, wild, thought-provoking and very witty story. It is part erotic thriller, part suspense and all satire. I finished this book a few weeks ago and had to think about the story for a while. This is a very risky book that is certainly not for everyone but is a fascinating commentary on society's obsession with celebrity and fame. UNDONE centers around Dez, a dangerous predator who is living with his former student, Chloe. Dez has a sick obsession with teenage girls, but totally rationalizes his unhealthy attraction and blames everyone else for his problems. He is smart but very, very troubled and borders on sociopathic. He ha convinced himself that his relationship with the teenage Chloe is almost normal.
"But on a deeper level, shielded, hidden, he recognized some profound connection between them. He felt an almost frightening reliance on her, an emotional dependence. The feeling was unprecedented for him and brought him a form of happiness."
Dez becomes obsessed with Jasper, a famous author who has written a best-selling book about his family. Dez creates a diabolical scheme to destroy Jasper, enlisting the gullible Chloe in his plan. So begins a suspenseful story that literally rockets along to a stunning conclusion, filled with biting commentary, completely inappropriate characters and very, very taboo subjects.
There is no question that John Colapinto is a brilliant writer and his prose and plot are flawless. BUT this book is NOT for the faint of heart or anyone who is offended by forbidden subjects! If you are looking for a standard romantic suspense novel, move along, because UNDONE is not for you. But if you love to read something different, incredibly creative and very challenging, then this is the book for you. Kudos to John Colapinto for tackling some very dangerous themes in an incredibly creative way. I found UNDONE to be enormously readable and I encourage anyone who loves something different to give this book a try.
On another note, I find it incredible that the author received over 40 rejection letters for this book! It is in no way the most taboo book I have ever read and I am glad that the publisher gave this book a chance.
(Copy gifted by the author in return for an honest review.)
May 29, 2016
An enjoyed quite a bit but with a couple of major reservations 3 stars.
April 24, 2016
John Colapinto's writing skills are excellent and he is somehow able to explore the sensitive themes of sexual child abuse where the child is part of a scheme and, by the way, is an experienced 18 years old. Here are a few of my thoughts:
1. It reminds me of a very well conceived and yet somewhat contrived Stephen King horror story. One of the characters is too good a guy, too trusting too disciplined, to ready to take blame. Another of the characters is too warped, too much the psychopath, too selfish, too smart. And the third major character is too beautiful, too naturally sexy, a young Brigitte Bardot. And yet the author gives us enough background on each of the characters to make them plausible.
2. Although, the story is about sexual things and manipulations, there is never actual crudeness or bad language. It reminded me more of the language in some of the romance novels I've read where we have obvious physical reactions happening and out of control behavior sometimes, but it never devolves to x rated or even r rated language.
3. As I watched the various seedy things going on, the things our protagonist had to put up with, I was constantly cringing and wanting to wring on fellow's neck. Evil manipulation of good people brings out the she bear instinct.
4. As I read the initial set-up, maybe a third of the book, I kept thinking it was too contrived, couldn't really happen. And yet as I made my way quickly through the second half of the book, it came together in a satisfying way, the outcomes more believable, the story more likable.
5. Some of the author's musings from the perspective of each of the primary characters were extremely well described and fun philosophically. How on earth could someone justify that behavior and there it was.
It's a fairly quick and interesting read. It fits right in there with Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and perhaps Hausfrau, contemporary stories with twisted things going on.
1. It reminds me of a very well conceived and yet somewhat contrived Stephen King horror story. One of the characters is too good a guy, too trusting too disciplined, to ready to take blame. Another of the characters is too warped, too much the psychopath, too selfish, too smart. And the third major character is too beautiful, too naturally sexy, a young Brigitte Bardot. And yet the author gives us enough background on each of the characters to make them plausible.
2. Although, the story is about sexual things and manipulations, there is never actual crudeness or bad language. It reminded me more of the language in some of the romance novels I've read where we have obvious physical reactions happening and out of control behavior sometimes, but it never devolves to x rated or even r rated language.
3. As I watched the various seedy things going on, the things our protagonist had to put up with, I was constantly cringing and wanting to wring on fellow's neck. Evil manipulation of good people brings out the she bear instinct.
4. As I read the initial set-up, maybe a third of the book, I kept thinking it was too contrived, couldn't really happen. And yet as I made my way quickly through the second half of the book, it came together in a satisfying way, the outcomes more believable, the story more likable.
5. Some of the author's musings from the perspective of each of the primary characters were extremely well described and fun philosophically. How on earth could someone justify that behavior and there it was.
It's a fairly quick and interesting read. It fits right in there with Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and perhaps Hausfrau, contemporary stories with twisted things going on.
May 18, 2015
An author and memoirist's celebrity status attracts the attention of a disgraced and bitter man who sets out to destroy him.
Undone is deliciously readable, gaspworthy, and, seriously, just imagine the deranged manipulations a guy who thinks like this is capable of:
Undone is deliciously readable, gaspworthy, and, seriously, just imagine the deranged manipulations a guy who thinks like this is capable of:
As a man who had fallen so far in life - all due, he believed, to the hypocrisy of a society that punished men like him, men who had the courage to live out their animal nature, and exalted men like this Ulrickson, who could so convincingly masquerade as a dutiful, disciplined, decent male - Dez felt he had something to prove: namely, that when you stripped men to their primal essence, they were all the same, all equally prey to the ferocious, feral appitites that roiled, secretly, behind even the most saintly exterior.
April 30, 2017
My rating may change a bit...I'm finding it difficult to rate this one. It is well written (I could see a movie being made from this) and it definitely evoked emotion (usually anger and disgust) but one of the main characters is so despicable he makes me lose faith in humanity. So...
Full review coming...
***
Undone is one of those books that makes you uncomfortable. One where you're not quite sure you can root for any of the characters because their moral compass seems to be a bit off. However, as this is satire, that's precisely the point.
Undone revolves around three main characters. One, Dez, is the very definition of a sociopath. He impacts the lives of the other two main characters - Chloe and Jasper - in profound ways. Ways that will make you cringe in disgust and horror. Ways that will make you question your faith in humanity. Ways that mock certain aspects of our society. And yet, you'll find yourself glued to the story to find out how it all unfolds.
See, Dez has an unhealthy attraction to young girls - 15-18 year olds. A problem that has cost him many things - jobs, friends...and more. Since he doesn't believe there's anything wrong with his predilections, only society's view of them, he feels he's owed something. He therefore concocts an elaborate scheme to get his due. A scheme aimed at Jasper, since he's garnered celebrity with his memoir and Dez watched him on a popular daytime television show, and involving Chloe.
Chloe's role in the destruction of Jasper, and Jasper's own role in his downfall, was pitiable even as they created disgust. I couldn't help but feel for them both being so manipulated. And the ramifications were so devastating to them both. Jasper's wife, daughter, and housekeeper were also deeply affected. And for what?
Undone inspired a lot of negative emotions in me but also some positives. It also was very thought-provoking and caused quite a few emotional discussions with my family. It is very well-written, inherently readable - even it it was a difficult read. The character development is well-done despite this being a plot-driven story. I became very invested in the futures of them all - wanting vastly different variations. This is a story that almost demands you think - consider your position on many topics - all while poking fun. It is a satire on celebrity and society's fascination with it but I felt it was also a commentary on other elements of society.
Will Damron did an excellent job narrating a story with many different characters. He did well with providing distinct voices and being consistent, as well as evoking the myriad emotions the story required. He was also able to keep the pacing just right.
I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. However, I'm changing my original 3-star rating to 4-stars because even though I wanted to cause bodily harm to Dez, this story, for all the discomfort is caused, was worth the listen.
Full review coming...
***
Undone is one of those books that makes you uncomfortable. One where you're not quite sure you can root for any of the characters because their moral compass seems to be a bit off. However, as this is satire, that's precisely the point.
Undone revolves around three main characters. One, Dez, is the very definition of a sociopath. He impacts the lives of the other two main characters - Chloe and Jasper - in profound ways. Ways that will make you cringe in disgust and horror. Ways that will make you question your faith in humanity. Ways that mock certain aspects of our society. And yet, you'll find yourself glued to the story to find out how it all unfolds.
See, Dez has an unhealthy attraction to young girls - 15-18 year olds. A problem that has cost him many things - jobs, friends...and more. Since he doesn't believe there's anything wrong with his predilections, only society's view of them, he feels he's owed something. He therefore concocts an elaborate scheme to get his due. A scheme aimed at Jasper, since he's garnered celebrity with his memoir and Dez watched him on a popular daytime television show, and involving Chloe.
Chloe's role in the destruction of Jasper, and Jasper's own role in his downfall, was pitiable even as they created disgust. I couldn't help but feel for them both being so manipulated. And the ramifications were so devastating to them both. Jasper's wife, daughter, and housekeeper were also deeply affected. And for what?
Undone inspired a lot of negative emotions in me but also some positives. It also was very thought-provoking and caused quite a few emotional discussions with my family. It is very well-written, inherently readable - even it it was a difficult read. The character development is well-done despite this being a plot-driven story. I became very invested in the futures of them all - wanting vastly different variations. This is a story that almost demands you think - consider your position on many topics - all while poking fun. It is a satire on celebrity and society's fascination with it but I felt it was also a commentary on other elements of society.
Will Damron did an excellent job narrating a story with many different characters. He did well with providing distinct voices and being consistent, as well as evoking the myriad emotions the story required. He was also able to keep the pacing just right.
I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. However, I'm changing my original 3-star rating to 4-stars because even though I wanted to cause bodily harm to Dez, this story, for all the discomfort is caused, was worth the listen.
July 9, 2016
I chose the book because I liked the cover. What a mistake. From the praise on the back cover, I was expecting so much more. Someone actually compared it to Lolita! My god! Lolita has some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read. The words on the page are so smooth that you almost forget the atrocities HH is committing. The book read like the screenplay of an poorly translated Spanish soap opera episode.
Undone is trash. I was interested on the plot summary, but everything that happens is so unbelievable. Chloe is eighteen when she goes to live with Jasper. Eighteen. She is an adult. Why does she need to be in custody of her father? How does he have any legal obligations to her now? Okay, so maybe he does owe back pay in child support. But that is it. The story ends there.
This "girl" is somehow hypersexual, but also demure and innocent. How very convenient. No one meets their "dad" for the first time and is kissing, hugging, snuggling him. That is so far from fucking normal. No normal person would find that appropriate in any sense. EVER.
Oh and Pauline. Poor paralyzed Pauline. How very smart to blink the letters to your daughter. Maybe you could have tried doing that to your husband at any point of the book. This could have been solved a lot sooner. Also what perfect timing to rise from your coma at the very moment that your poor husband finds out he's been blackmailed. For five fun years you took a nice nap and just popped right out of that coma when ol' Jasp needed you. Aren't you the fucking best.
Truly this is one of the worst books I have ever read.
Undone is trash. I was interested on the plot summary, but everything that happens is so unbelievable. Chloe is eighteen when she goes to live with Jasper. Eighteen. She is an adult. Why does she need to be in custody of her father? How does he have any legal obligations to her now? Okay, so maybe he does owe back pay in child support. But that is it. The story ends there.
This "girl" is somehow hypersexual, but also demure and innocent. How very convenient. No one meets their "dad" for the first time and is kissing, hugging, snuggling him. That is so far from fucking normal. No normal person would find that appropriate in any sense. EVER.
Oh and Pauline. Poor paralyzed Pauline. How very smart to blink the letters to your daughter. Maybe you could have tried doing that to your husband at any point of the book. This could have been solved a lot sooner. Also what perfect timing to rise from your coma at the very moment that your poor husband finds out he's been blackmailed. For five fun years you took a nice nap and just popped right out of that coma when ol' Jasp needed you. Aren't you the fucking best.
Truly this is one of the worst books I have ever read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2019
HA.
This author is deranged, but in a wildly entertaining and alarmingly focused kind of way. A quick read (I'm a fairly slow reader and I tore through this book in a week), thick with irony. (The irony. It bordered on overkill, but that's what made this book so fun.)
Several reviews said this book was a commentary on society's fascination with celebrity and money, the lengths to which people will go to possess those things, and the destructiveness of envy. I can see it. Ultimately, I think this book is a satire of literature's fetishization of youthfulness and its tendency to regard men, particularly paternal figures, as the custodians of female sexuality.
If you have prudish sensibilities, stay far away from this book. If you want a witty dark comedy/noir that takes a long, cynical look at taboo sexual desire... well, your search ends here.
This author is deranged, but in a wildly entertaining and alarmingly focused kind of way. A quick read (I'm a fairly slow reader and I tore through this book in a week), thick with irony. (The irony. It bordered on overkill, but that's what made this book so fun.)
Several reviews said this book was a commentary on society's fascination with celebrity and money, the lengths to which people will go to possess those things, and the destructiveness of envy. I can see it. Ultimately, I think this book is a satire of literature's fetishization of youthfulness and its tendency to regard men, particularly paternal figures, as the custodians of female sexuality.
If you have prudish sensibilities, stay far away from this book. If you want a witty dark comedy/noir that takes a long, cynical look at taboo sexual desire... well, your search ends here.
January 11, 2020
This is some seriously sick shit. I mean that as a compliment. At least, I think I do...
I finished this a couple of nights ago and I've been wrestling with my feelings for it ever since. There were spells when I hated it, but I realised afterwords that's just because I was so invested, and I wanted the agony to end. That's definitely the mark of good writing, but then I already knew John Colapinto had the goods; About the Author is quite possibly the best twisty-turny thriller I've ever read, and was even better the second time round (I should probably get round to reading it again and giving it the review it deserves). He pulled off that neat trick of getting you to root for the villain, and he did it with real aplomb.
I definitely was NOT pulling for the villain here, which, let me tell ya, is something of a relief. The series of events put in motion by the diabolical Dez are so horrific, i was tempted on a couple of occasions to stop reading. I couldn't do it though; the goddamned thing was so compelling, I just had to see where it went. I read the entire second half in one sitting, which is a rarity for me. But I don't mind telling you, I felt like I needed to take a long hot shower afterwards, to scrub the depravity away.
"All of this was too ridiculous to be true, of course"
It is ridiculous, but in the best possible way. This is some hyper-real villainy; the scheming of About the Author taken to the Nth degree. Dreamed up by a less talented writer, it would have been too preposterous to swallow, but Colapinto draws you in, then digs his teeth and fingernails into your resistance, and clings on no matter how much you struggle, not letting you go until he's finished with you. I saw one description calling this 'subversively erotic', and some of the imagery definitely leans in that direction, but I thankfully passed the sleazeball test (phew!) because rather than being turned on, I grew increasingly outraged at the trap being sprung on poor Jasper Ulrickson. But then, I've been thinking about whether my sympathy for Jasper is entirely warranted; maybe I'm not as untarnished as I thought. It's as murky as hell.
The subject matter here is definitely not for the easily offended, and I think it's a brave story to have written. Colapinto states in the afterword that he received over 40 rejections before finding a publisher, which is both understandable and astonishing. If you take the plunge with this, don't blame me if it puts you through the wringer...
I finished this a couple of nights ago and I've been wrestling with my feelings for it ever since. There were spells when I hated it, but I realised afterwords that's just because I was so invested, and I wanted the agony to end. That's definitely the mark of good writing, but then I already knew John Colapinto had the goods; About the Author is quite possibly the best twisty-turny thriller I've ever read, and was even better the second time round (I should probably get round to reading it again and giving it the review it deserves). He pulled off that neat trick of getting you to root for the villain, and he did it with real aplomb.
I definitely was NOT pulling for the villain here, which, let me tell ya, is something of a relief. The series of events put in motion by the diabolical Dez are so horrific, i was tempted on a couple of occasions to stop reading. I couldn't do it though; the goddamned thing was so compelling, I just had to see where it went. I read the entire second half in one sitting, which is a rarity for me. But I don't mind telling you, I felt like I needed to take a long hot shower afterwards, to scrub the depravity away.
"All of this was too ridiculous to be true, of course"
It is ridiculous, but in the best possible way. This is some hyper-real villainy; the scheming of About the Author taken to the Nth degree. Dreamed up by a less talented writer, it would have been too preposterous to swallow, but Colapinto draws you in, then digs his teeth and fingernails into your resistance, and clings on no matter how much you struggle, not letting you go until he's finished with you. I saw one description calling this 'subversively erotic', and some of the imagery definitely leans in that direction, but I thankfully passed the sleazeball test (phew!) because rather than being turned on, I grew increasingly outraged at the trap being sprung on poor Jasper Ulrickson. But then, I've been thinking about whether my sympathy for Jasper is entirely warranted; maybe I'm not as untarnished as I thought. It's as murky as hell.
The subject matter here is definitely not for the easily offended, and I think it's a brave story to have written. Colapinto states in the afterword that he received over 40 rejections before finding a publisher, which is both understandable and astonishing. If you take the plunge with this, don't blame me if it puts you through the wringer...
July 3, 2015
Sometimes I love a book that is just a great plot-driven story, and this one really fit the bill. The author sets up a plot in which a good man, in a very difficult situation, is sorely tested. The fact that a sociopath sets the trap makes it all the more difficult to read, but it is very well written, and the characters are fascinating, if not likable. Would make a great movie!
August 1, 2020
Critics said this was "a masterful satire" that explores male desire. I thought it was a poorly written, piece-of-shit excuse to have a middle-aged male character drool over a young teenaged girl. Gross, pointless, and not the least bit funny or interesting.
January 31, 2025
What did i just read?
May 9, 2016
A sociopathic lover mauled,
body parts strewn across the Lunar plains...
then reanimated - mystery him,
plummet through the exosphere -
landed cold-ready,
to see a woman about a woman
and it plays cinematic in his mind's eye,
reaching into the back, back days,
and it comes...count one, two - craze,
stand in the city maze, illuminated haze,
and there he is melted into the sidewalk,
like A Salvador Dali painting,
his eyes all yesterday,
darkness hangs from his grime smeared features
and that is exactly, exactly what happens,
when you suicide your past and every goodnight.
Chris Roberts
body parts strewn across the Lunar plains...
then reanimated - mystery him,
plummet through the exosphere -
landed cold-ready,
to see a woman about a woman
and it plays cinematic in his mind's eye,
reaching into the back, back days,
and it comes...count one, two - craze,
stand in the city maze, illuminated haze,
and there he is melted into the sidewalk,
like A Salvador Dali painting,
his eyes all yesterday,
darkness hangs from his grime smeared features
and that is exactly, exactly what happens,
when you suicide your past and every goodnight.
Chris Roberts
June 1, 2016
There was potential here for a lot of interesting social commentary...like the effect our consumption of other people's lives for entertainment is having on our culture, or a questioning of the nature of evil. Instead we get to spend 300 pages with a very unlikable character with no redeeming qualities and little explanation for his pure evil. In better hands this could have been a good book. I expected much more from a staff writer at The New Yorker. Huge disappointment.
December 22, 2016
Cleverly written and very entertaining despite its darker subject matter regarding sexual taboos. The ending also wrapped up well I think the fates of the characters. An especially fun part of the book was how the main character Jasper, as a writer, begins writing as one of his fictional novels almost exactly the plot that was done to him in real life regarding the paternity claim. The one aspect I would like have to delved into more was POV narrative from his stroke disabled wife.
July 2, 2017
I read a book by this author years and years ago Called About The Author which I absolutely loved. This is my second book by the same author which I absolutely loved.
He is a true master at delivering a story within which I was completely consumed and read in 5 hours this Sunday 🙃.
The plot, theme and characters were delivered in such a way that it was impossible to put down!!
Read it. Astounding 🙏🏼
He is a true master at delivering a story within which I was completely consumed and read in 5 hours this Sunday 🙃.
The plot, theme and characters were delivered in such a way that it was impossible to put down!!
Read it. Astounding 🙏🏼
May 21, 2016
"Undone" is a great novel, vastly entertaining, a real page turner that will have you alternating between wanting to quit reading because of the palpable excitement and suspense; and losing sleep to continue reading into the night. It is an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. I really enjoyed this book.
March 20, 2017
This book is messed up in all the right ways. I felt like I had to take a shower each time I picked it up. The ~400 pages flew by so fast and was so elegantly suspenseful. This has the makings for an HBO show or movie. I would highly recommend to anyone who is not faint or heart or judgmental, because this book will test your stomach and your values.
May 16, 2016
The plot twists in this novel are as contrived and clever as those in Gone Girl, but I doubt this book will have the same commercial success. The subject matter here is a bit risqué. Not my type of book, but a quick and entertaining read.
May 7, 2016
Damn. This book was good. Got it as a "free surprise book with purchase" at my local bookstore last week and I'm so glad I did! It was gripping and a true page turner. It brings about shock, disgust, sadness, happiness, anger.. Really hits on a lot of emotions in just 385 pages. Highly recommend!!
May 7, 2016
4 stars!
This story was wondrously written. It started out very slow and it was well after 50% that it really caught my attention.
If you start this book I suggest you hang in there because the magical thread that connects a good piece of literature is very much present in this controversial tale.
This story was wondrously written. It started out very slow and it was well after 50% that it really caught my attention.
If you start this book I suggest you hang in there because the magical thread that connects a good piece of literature is very much present in this controversial tale.
March 18, 2017
Creepy. Crazy. Loved the ending.
February 7, 2025
3.5 Stars. Recommended by my brother, so no surprise it was a fucked up read but one that was done really well in my opinion. I loved the addition of the multiple POVs so you always knew what was going on in each characters head during the scene & the ending was justified
August 26, 2025
this book was FUCKED UP and i LOVED it
if this ever gets turned into a movie… the dare needs to play dez (derogatory)
if this ever gets turned into a movie… the dare needs to play dez (derogatory)
August 17, 2019
Difficult subject
A very challenging subject to write yet Colapinto pulls it off. I do hope that Dez ends up getting his just reward.
A very challenging subject to write yet Colapinto pulls it off. I do hope that Dez ends up getting his just reward.
February 21, 2016
Normally when I finish reading a novel, I have a general idea of what I want to say about it – that was not the case with author John Colapinto’s Undone: A Novel. Before picking it up, I’d read it was a satire of celebrity, a troubling book that was shocking in nature, which in many ways I guess it is, however, that wasn’t what bothered me, or arrested my ability to initially write a review (I’m writing this a couple of weeks after having completed the novel). To put it simply, Undone: A Novel left me conflicted, and I needed to determine why, before attempting a review.
Author John Colapinto is a staff writer for The New Yorker, so questions regarding his ability to write are unnecessary, in fact, Undone: A Novel was a great read – Colapinto’s ability to craft a sentence and create a flow for the reader goes unquestioned. With his particular style, he was able to engage me, the reader, which is the hope and goal of any author. For me, where Undone: A Novel fell apart, or short, was in plotting and character development.
The story centers on Chloe, a 17-year-old girl, whose mother has died in a car accident, and who has hooked up with Dez, one of her high school teachers, who was once a lawyer, but since disgraced. Dez is also a man who has a thing for young underaged girls. When he watches author Jasper Ulrickson on an afternoon Oprah-like TV show, talking about how he has coped raising his young daughter despite the fact when giving birth his wife suffered a stroke that has left her an invalid, aware, but trapped in her body, and discovers Chloe’s mom had sex with a young Jasper, also around the time she became pregnant with Chloe, Dez sets in motion a plan to destroy him, and gain his riches. He plans to have Chloe recognized as his illegitimate daughter, inserted into his life, and then seduce him, bringing about a scandal that will destroy him and his family.
It is the incestuous nature of the book’s plan, and its general creepiness that, I believe, earns Undone: A Novel its ‘disturbing’ designation. The fact that Jasper could be seduced by this young girl, whom he believes is his biological daughter, is distressing, and even as we know something has to happen, we hope it doesn’t.
Of all the characters in Colapinto’s book, I’d have to say Chloe is the most developed – we see her grow and change throughout the novel, which only makes Jasper’s lack of growth or diversity as a character more troubling. Jasper is a good guy and remains so throughout the book; there is no sense of self-preservation within him, even though he is responsible for bringing up his real, younger daughter, and you would think he would fight to care for her. He seems to just take everything on the chin, doing the right thing, and as such, comes across a little one-dimensional. While in the end, he would do the right thing, I would have liked to see a few cracks in his armor, which in turn would have made him more real to me.
As for the seduction? I don’t want to say too much about that, but even then Colapinto has it happen in such a way that, if you wanted to, you could make some excuses for Jasper and his state of mind at the time. I think it would have been more powerful and pure, if, despite knowing it was wrong, he merely gave in to his desires and committed the ultimate sin.
Aside from character development, at times Colapinto also glosses over events, seeming to race things along. Even at the end, he glosses over everything; I would have liked to see how every character interacted at that time to bring about the ending he presented us. Somehow, it just left me cold, as if the author was saying it was time to wrap things up, so he did so quickly.
Undone: A Novel is flawed, and there was aspects of it (not related to the disturbing story) that I didn’t enjoy. However, at the same time, I was also engaged more than I was troubled. I didn’t stop reading it, but continued on right to the finish. If asked to commit, I’d say it is worth reading, despite those flaws mentioned above. I will also gladly pick up another novel by John Colapinto, hoping that with experience he will have worked on ironing out some of the shortcomings that kept me from giving Undone: A Novel four out of five stars – it was close.
Author John Colapinto is a staff writer for The New Yorker, so questions regarding his ability to write are unnecessary, in fact, Undone: A Novel was a great read – Colapinto’s ability to craft a sentence and create a flow for the reader goes unquestioned. With his particular style, he was able to engage me, the reader, which is the hope and goal of any author. For me, where Undone: A Novel fell apart, or short, was in plotting and character development.
The story centers on Chloe, a 17-year-old girl, whose mother has died in a car accident, and who has hooked up with Dez, one of her high school teachers, who was once a lawyer, but since disgraced. Dez is also a man who has a thing for young underaged girls. When he watches author Jasper Ulrickson on an afternoon Oprah-like TV show, talking about how he has coped raising his young daughter despite the fact when giving birth his wife suffered a stroke that has left her an invalid, aware, but trapped in her body, and discovers Chloe’s mom had sex with a young Jasper, also around the time she became pregnant with Chloe, Dez sets in motion a plan to destroy him, and gain his riches. He plans to have Chloe recognized as his illegitimate daughter, inserted into his life, and then seduce him, bringing about a scandal that will destroy him and his family.
It is the incestuous nature of the book’s plan, and its general creepiness that, I believe, earns Undone: A Novel its ‘disturbing’ designation. The fact that Jasper could be seduced by this young girl, whom he believes is his biological daughter, is distressing, and even as we know something has to happen, we hope it doesn’t.
Of all the characters in Colapinto’s book, I’d have to say Chloe is the most developed – we see her grow and change throughout the novel, which only makes Jasper’s lack of growth or diversity as a character more troubling. Jasper is a good guy and remains so throughout the book; there is no sense of self-preservation within him, even though he is responsible for bringing up his real, younger daughter, and you would think he would fight to care for her. He seems to just take everything on the chin, doing the right thing, and as such, comes across a little one-dimensional. While in the end, he would do the right thing, I would have liked to see a few cracks in his armor, which in turn would have made him more real to me.
As for the seduction? I don’t want to say too much about that, but even then Colapinto has it happen in such a way that, if you wanted to, you could make some excuses for Jasper and his state of mind at the time. I think it would have been more powerful and pure, if, despite knowing it was wrong, he merely gave in to his desires and committed the ultimate sin.
Aside from character development, at times Colapinto also glosses over events, seeming to race things along. Even at the end, he glosses over everything; I would have liked to see how every character interacted at that time to bring about the ending he presented us. Somehow, it just left me cold, as if the author was saying it was time to wrap things up, so he did so quickly.
Undone: A Novel is flawed, and there was aspects of it (not related to the disturbing story) that I didn’t enjoy. However, at the same time, I was also engaged more than I was troubled. I didn’t stop reading it, but continued on right to the finish. If asked to commit, I’d say it is worth reading, despite those flaws mentioned above. I will also gladly pick up another novel by John Colapinto, hoping that with experience he will have worked on ironing out some of the shortcomings that kept me from giving Undone: A Novel four out of five stars – it was close.
February 1, 2024
extremely mixed feelings about this book. i read Colapinto’s other book About the Author and really enjoyed the frantic, descriptive, unbelievable, and stress-inducing tone he set. he does that again in this book but also writes about disturbing and uncomfortable topics. i see how this could be a really polarizing book. though i started and finished this in one day because i relished Colapinto’s writing style and storytelling, this is not a book i’m about to be recommending to people, lol.
July 23, 2016
Wow, where to begin. The horrible plan to destroy the life of popular crime author Jasper Ulrickson is conceived by a desperate fellow named Dez, who is more or less hiding out in upstate Vermont with Chloe, his barely legal young girlfriend, after his compulsive need to fraternize with young and barely legal girls gets the best of him professionally. We already see what a jerk Dez is during the opening of the book, when he is incapable and unwilling to even bother to console Chloe in her grief over the death of her mother in a car crash.
He sees the author in question on his favorite talk show (“Tovah!” —like a Jewish version of the old Oprah show) one afternoon in the days after Chloe’s mother has died. The subject of the show is Jasper’s new memoir, Lessons From My Daughter, in which the crime author tells of his life at home with his wife, Pauline. Pauline has suffered a stroke during the birth of their daughter, Maddy, rendering her immobilized and unable to speak, alive but essentially trapped in her body. Jasper has written of their lives, and their wedding vows, and their promises to each other to be faithful and take the vows seriously. In short, Jasper has remained celibate and written a book about it and comes off like a saint to the heavily female audience. Off-handedly, Chloe mentions that her recently passed mother once had a fling with an author…in fact the very author being interviewed on "Tovah!"….
Thus, Dez’s mind gets working, as he develops a plan to both ruin the life of this man and to acquire his fortune….Let’s just say it involves the young Chloe in a plot that will take advantage of Jasper’s celibacy, his good nature, and the faint possibility that Chloe could possibly be his daughter. Throw in a faked DNA test and you see how far down Jasper is thrown from his perch on the "Tovah!" show…
Oh, it’s awful. And I mean that in the best possible way. What ensues is nothing short of a brilliant, well-plotted, well-thought out, evil page turner. I got through all 390 pages in about a week due to my strong motivation to see if this horrible trip that Jasper goes on can possibly resolve itself or just continue to get worse. The author dances on the edge, then dives right into a very uncomfortable subject (incest…or in this case the appearance of incest) and like the proverbial train wreck…well, you know how that goes.
Undone is probably not Hollywood material. It’s rough. There are no winners, there are few heroes, a fact that usually turns me off from a story. Jasper suffers like Job in the Bible (indeed, the Book of Job is cited at the beginning of the novel) and the way he suffers and tries to endure is less inspirational and more painful. I admire the balls it took to spend this much time writing a book that may never have seen the light of day. According to the acknowledgements, the idea for Undone was conceived in 2001, the writing started in 2009, took about 4 years to finish and then had massive problems trying to sell to an American publisher…or really, any publisher, due to its implied subject matter. And it is not a book I would recommend to everyone. It’s dark. It’s uncomfortable. It only gets worse as it goes along. And yet, you really can’t put it down.
If you've ever watched Oprah or Dr. Phil or any daytime TV, saw some self-help specialist or some know it all describe his/her perfect and inspirational-yet-kind-of scolding message to a passive and unquestioning audience, and been filled with hatred and disgust for said individual and dreamt of destroying that person's life...well, then Undone might be the book for you.
He sees the author in question on his favorite talk show (“Tovah!” —like a Jewish version of the old Oprah show) one afternoon in the days after Chloe’s mother has died. The subject of the show is Jasper’s new memoir, Lessons From My Daughter, in which the crime author tells of his life at home with his wife, Pauline. Pauline has suffered a stroke during the birth of their daughter, Maddy, rendering her immobilized and unable to speak, alive but essentially trapped in her body. Jasper has written of their lives, and their wedding vows, and their promises to each other to be faithful and take the vows seriously. In short, Jasper has remained celibate and written a book about it and comes off like a saint to the heavily female audience. Off-handedly, Chloe mentions that her recently passed mother once had a fling with an author…in fact the very author being interviewed on "Tovah!"….
Thus, Dez’s mind gets working, as he develops a plan to both ruin the life of this man and to acquire his fortune….Let’s just say it involves the young Chloe in a plot that will take advantage of Jasper’s celibacy, his good nature, and the faint possibility that Chloe could possibly be his daughter. Throw in a faked DNA test and you see how far down Jasper is thrown from his perch on the "Tovah!" show…
Oh, it’s awful. And I mean that in the best possible way. What ensues is nothing short of a brilliant, well-plotted, well-thought out, evil page turner. I got through all 390 pages in about a week due to my strong motivation to see if this horrible trip that Jasper goes on can possibly resolve itself or just continue to get worse. The author dances on the edge, then dives right into a very uncomfortable subject (incest…or in this case the appearance of incest) and like the proverbial train wreck…well, you know how that goes.
Undone is probably not Hollywood material. It’s rough. There are no winners, there are few heroes, a fact that usually turns me off from a story. Jasper suffers like Job in the Bible (indeed, the Book of Job is cited at the beginning of the novel) and the way he suffers and tries to endure is less inspirational and more painful. I admire the balls it took to spend this much time writing a book that may never have seen the light of day. According to the acknowledgements, the idea for Undone was conceived in 2001, the writing started in 2009, took about 4 years to finish and then had massive problems trying to sell to an American publisher…or really, any publisher, due to its implied subject matter. And it is not a book I would recommend to everyone. It’s dark. It’s uncomfortable. It only gets worse as it goes along. And yet, you really can’t put it down.
If you've ever watched Oprah or Dr. Phil or any daytime TV, saw some self-help specialist or some know it all describe his/her perfect and inspirational-yet-kind-of scolding message to a passive and unquestioning audience, and been filled with hatred and disgust for said individual and dreamt of destroying that person's life...well, then Undone might be the book for you.
May 29, 2017
I'm honestly not sure what Colapinto's intention is. He's used the full arsenal of page-turner tools to stunning effect, so much so I wondered at points if he'd been poring over all those books on how to write a best-seller (eg. Sol Stein's books or Cleaver's 'Immediate Fiction'). But then I realised, oh, no, Colapinto is far too clever for this, and it's not that he can't actually write, on the contrary, he can. And, the goal isn't to write a best-seller. Or rather, that's not the primary goal. The primary goal is to write a risky and 'provocative' satire which challenges firmly held beliefs on how normal men and (young) women behave. Well, maybe, who is to say but Colapinto himself. The trouble is at no point was I provoked, or horrified, or appalled, or even laughing gleefully. Provoked, I suppose, into writing this review.
What audience is this aimed at? People who have no life experience? Who do not think good men, when push comes to shove, will give in to a deliberately seductive young woman with a porn-star body and manner? People who do not think young women behave in this way? Is it meant to make us sit up and realise, Oh gosh, yes, maybe men just might have sex with an almost-adult young woman who has only just walked into his life as his previously unknown 'daughter'? Given the set up and context of this ravishment, to me it's hardly shocking.
Fathers (and I dearsay mothers) who commit incest with their children do it for a number of reasons: not least of which *because* it is their child, and/or the need to dominate, generally within a context of familial and personal dysfunction. None of these factors are at play in Undone, unless you consider the poor man's paralysed wife to be familial dysfunction. Is there something meta going on here that I'm too stupid to understand?
If this book shakes up some reader's beliefs, all well and good, but otherwise it's an unpleasantly unputdownable romp through what I suspect is (some) men's wet dream.
What audience is this aimed at? People who have no life experience? Who do not think good men, when push comes to shove, will give in to a deliberately seductive young woman with a porn-star body and manner? People who do not think young women behave in this way? Is it meant to make us sit up and realise, Oh gosh, yes, maybe men just might have sex with an almost-adult young woman who has only just walked into his life as his previously unknown 'daughter'? Given the set up and context of this ravishment, to me it's hardly shocking.
Fathers (and I dearsay mothers) who commit incest with their children do it for a number of reasons: not least of which *because* it is their child, and/or the need to dominate, generally within a context of familial and personal dysfunction. None of these factors are at play in Undone, unless you consider the poor man's paralysed wife to be familial dysfunction. Is there something meta going on here that I'm too stupid to understand?
If this book shakes up some reader's beliefs, all well and good, but otherwise it's an unpleasantly unputdownable romp through what I suspect is (some) men's wet dream.
August 11, 2016
Man. I really thought I was going to be super into this, but I ended up wanting to get it over with.
I didn't care about a single one of the characters. They are cardboard cutouts -- we could have learned all there was to know about them in one paragraph each. Actually, here: Evil One, Pretty One, Victim.
The plot is either annoying or insulting, depending on what the author's goal was. Are we supposed to believe these events would ever play out the way they did? This girl is so magically beautiful that she would send a man who believes he's her father into immediate, all-encompassing erotic obsession? Either you're saying, "men are pitiful, weak creatures who can't help themselves" or you're saying, " our Bad Guy magically stumbles upon a series of events that would allow this tremendously unlikely plan to work." Come on. Or is that whole thing is supposed to be some kind of social commentary? If so, I'm not getting it.
It also felt really rushed, which somehow actually made it boring. Or something. I don't know, I just didn't enjoy it.
The finished book is gorgeous, though. Not the cover shown here, but the oversized trade edition with the orange design. So there's that.
The only reason it gets two instead of one is that after discovering it in its print format, I bought it as an audiobook, and the narrator may have contributed to its overall "This is Silly and Quirky" vibe.
I didn't care about a single one of the characters. They are cardboard cutouts -- we could have learned all there was to know about them in one paragraph each. Actually, here: Evil One, Pretty One, Victim.
The plot is either annoying or insulting, depending on what the author's goal was. Are we supposed to believe these events would ever play out the way they did? This girl is so magically beautiful that she would send a man who believes he's her father into immediate, all-encompassing erotic obsession? Either you're saying, "men are pitiful, weak creatures who can't help themselves" or you're saying, " our Bad Guy magically stumbles upon a series of events that would allow this tremendously unlikely plan to work." Come on. Or is that whole thing is supposed to be some kind of social commentary? If so, I'm not getting it.
It also felt really rushed, which somehow actually made it boring. Or something. I don't know, I just didn't enjoy it.
The finished book is gorgeous, though. Not the cover shown here, but the oversized trade edition with the orange design. So there's that.
The only reason it gets two instead of one is that after discovering it in its print format, I bought it as an audiobook, and the narrator may have contributed to its overall "This is Silly and Quirky" vibe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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