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An Authentic Derivative: A Novel
Indie rocker Garrett Sedgwick is a reclusive artist struggling to assert his identity to a sectarian fan base. Cynical graphic artist Neil Oberlin is given the task of sketching Sedgwick's next album cover. However, proximity to the brooding musician begins to compound Neil's own anxieties about himself, his generation, and Sedgwick's great secret. Things are about to get awkward.
274 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Caleb Coy
5 books2 followersCaleb Coy lives with his wife and son in Christianburg, VA and teachers College Composition to high schoolers.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 28, 2015
An Authentic Derivative is Caleb Coy's first novel, self-published with the help of an indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. It tells the story of Neil Oberlin, an artist new to the Nashville scene trying to make money as a freelance designer. Indie rocker Garrett Sedgwick, a somewhat controversial cult figure almost more myth than man, offers Neil a chance to design his new album cover. Unfortunately for our narrator, this pushes him into the stressful and dramatic world of secret identities, old flames, and over-excitable music bloggers.
Oberlin acts as an observer and commenter on the world and his generation. While the novel follows a loose plot, jumping from thread to thread, the bulk of the text is a series of philosophical mini-essays and musings on topics ranging from religion and faith to identity and society at large. Every event sparks a monologue that only the reader is privy too. In some ways, Oberlin is a ghost in his own narrative. While he interacts with friends and clients and responds to events, he tends to avoid and defuse situations, staying as distant as possible, rather than approach them head-on, a trait that he even makes reference to in parts of his discussion. While reading, I had the recurring thought that Oberlin is the quintessential stereotype of the Millennial generation: obsessed with the pursuit of a valuable, "authentic" life while utterly disenchanted with the state of the world. Fittingly, Oberlin falls under the designation of hipster, that character type most associated with Millennials, allowing him, ironically, to loftily discuss the use and pursuit of irony while concomitantly declaring a search for authenticity. Whether intentional or not, such musings, combined with Oberlin's jaded self-awareness, often took on a parodic tone that was both heartfelt and biting.
My favorite part of the novel is its use of the internal meme "No Promo," which doubles as a bit of meta-narrative. The phrase is described as an inside joke among the Nashville population, but not everyone knows where it came from, and even those that do don't understand its meaning or intent. Yet it's a ubiquitous slogan slipped into casual conversations and dwells in the public consciousness. By the time you finish the novel, you have an awareness of its use and can easily see where it would fit into your everyday life. If this novel becomes a cult hit, "No Promo" will probably become a widespread phrase among those in the know. We are a generation of memes and epithets who have all seen the gif of a cat sliding into an empty box. "No Promo" as a phrase is like the expression of a Millennial hipster mindset conveniently packaged in the trademark form of our communication. It only really needs an associated cat gif to be complete. Coy's use of images such as this are a testament to the level of planning he put into the work.
Philosophical, satirical, heartfelt, and humorous, An Authentic Derivative is a well-thought first offering from Caleb Coy. While the plot and characters are often just convenient backdrops to segue between different discussions, and the use of the "lovelorn tortured artist" trope admittedly strikes as tired and cliche, the insights and analysis are the main focus of the piece anyway, and he presents them in a developed voice and intentional style. Overall an enjoyable read with a strong mind behind it.
Oberlin acts as an observer and commenter on the world and his generation. While the novel follows a loose plot, jumping from thread to thread, the bulk of the text is a series of philosophical mini-essays and musings on topics ranging from religion and faith to identity and society at large. Every event sparks a monologue that only the reader is privy too. In some ways, Oberlin is a ghost in his own narrative. While he interacts with friends and clients and responds to events, he tends to avoid and defuse situations, staying as distant as possible, rather than approach them head-on, a trait that he even makes reference to in parts of his discussion. While reading, I had the recurring thought that Oberlin is the quintessential stereotype of the Millennial generation: obsessed with the pursuit of a valuable, "authentic" life while utterly disenchanted with the state of the world. Fittingly, Oberlin falls under the designation of hipster, that character type most associated with Millennials, allowing him, ironically, to loftily discuss the use and pursuit of irony while concomitantly declaring a search for authenticity. Whether intentional or not, such musings, combined with Oberlin's jaded self-awareness, often took on a parodic tone that was both heartfelt and biting.
My favorite part of the novel is its use of the internal meme "No Promo," which doubles as a bit of meta-narrative. The phrase is described as an inside joke among the Nashville population, but not everyone knows where it came from, and even those that do don't understand its meaning or intent. Yet it's a ubiquitous slogan slipped into casual conversations and dwells in the public consciousness. By the time you finish the novel, you have an awareness of its use and can easily see where it would fit into your everyday life. If this novel becomes a cult hit, "No Promo" will probably become a widespread phrase among those in the know. We are a generation of memes and epithets who have all seen the gif of a cat sliding into an empty box. "No Promo" as a phrase is like the expression of a Millennial hipster mindset conveniently packaged in the trademark form of our communication. It only really needs an associated cat gif to be complete. Coy's use of images such as this are a testament to the level of planning he put into the work.
Philosophical, satirical, heartfelt, and humorous, An Authentic Derivative is a well-thought first offering from Caleb Coy. While the plot and characters are often just convenient backdrops to segue between different discussions, and the use of the "lovelorn tortured artist" trope admittedly strikes as tired and cliche, the insights and analysis are the main focus of the piece anyway, and he presents them in a developed voice and intentional style. Overall an enjoyable read with a strong mind behind it.
September 7, 2015
Caleb Coy’s novel, An Authentic Derivative, is a refreshing, enjoyable work of literary fiction. The book is a satire on a certain brand of millennial, youth culture we see today and is centered on the slightly perplexing, often brooding, main character, Neil Oberlin and his group of friends in Nashville, Tennessee. Neil is a perplexing in a good way. He is dry, slightly bitter and manages to never reveal too much of himself to the reader and while he is quick to share his observations on others, he protects himself. His group of friends is colorful, intellectual and at times pretentious. Some of the fun in the group lies in the satire Neil dryly lays out about them. Picnics are filled with debates over theology and philosophy, obscure books and theories are mentioned and argued about and the reader will enjoy sorting through the dialogue to see how Neil feels about it after he is done describing it. Everyone in the circle is educated and they want you to know it.
Caleb Coy makes you think a certain way about the action that Neil narrates and often at the end of a chapter, Neil bluntly states how he is really being. When Neil is introduced to indie singer Garrett Sedgwick, a new element is added, especially when Neil is recruited to work for him and Wick’s (as he is referred to in the story. Neil is an artist, of course, that struggles with accepting work as a graphic designer and in advertising, but realizes the importance and need for this work. His opinions on art, creativity, literature, music and even religion are profound, interesting and engaging. There is a multitude of stories within An Authentic Derivative that make up the plot, but the beauty of the book lies in the fact that the reader is taken along with Neil to see his thoughts and surroundings, without getting hung up on a particular plot direction. Neil is almost set up to be the friend that is smarter and cooler than you, that makes you feel like if you are around him long enough, it will rub off on you. He is aloof, not rude and thoughtful without being sentimental.
An Authentic Derivative is a fresh look at fiction in a world that has been oversaturated with novels that do not set up the reader for thinking, rather only present a means of escape. While escaping in a book is absolutely critical, it is also critical to read works that push buttons, discuss social issues that no one wants to discuss or think about and that make the reader consider new ways of looking at things and their surroundings. Caleb Coy makes Neil accessible and relatable to readers of all generations by blending just the right amount of confidence with insecurities and knowledge with uncertainties that everyone can relate with even outside of the trendy streets of Nashville.
Caleb Coy makes you think a certain way about the action that Neil narrates and often at the end of a chapter, Neil bluntly states how he is really being. When Neil is introduced to indie singer Garrett Sedgwick, a new element is added, especially when Neil is recruited to work for him and Wick’s (as he is referred to in the story. Neil is an artist, of course, that struggles with accepting work as a graphic designer and in advertising, but realizes the importance and need for this work. His opinions on art, creativity, literature, music and even religion are profound, interesting and engaging. There is a multitude of stories within An Authentic Derivative that make up the plot, but the beauty of the book lies in the fact that the reader is taken along with Neil to see his thoughts and surroundings, without getting hung up on a particular plot direction. Neil is almost set up to be the friend that is smarter and cooler than you, that makes you feel like if you are around him long enough, it will rub off on you. He is aloof, not rude and thoughtful without being sentimental.
An Authentic Derivative is a fresh look at fiction in a world that has been oversaturated with novels that do not set up the reader for thinking, rather only present a means of escape. While escaping in a book is absolutely critical, it is also critical to read works that push buttons, discuss social issues that no one wants to discuss or think about and that make the reader consider new ways of looking at things and their surroundings. Caleb Coy makes Neil accessible and relatable to readers of all generations by blending just the right amount of confidence with insecurities and knowledge with uncertainties that everyone can relate with even outside of the trendy streets of Nashville.
November 2, 2015
While I was reading this book I accidentally left it on the top of my car before driving down the interstate. My in-laws were behind me and eventually saw it fly off to the side of the road. They told me where it had flown off and I had to make a decision. Was this book good enough for me to go play in interstate traffic to retrieve? The answer is yes it was. And so I ran across busy I-85 and walked up and down the median until I finally found it.
The back of the book has a review that says that the book reads like a Wes Anderson film opening monologue. I agree. I don't know how to explain it other than to say that it's boring, but not a bad boring. It's more of a "This is just sort of a story of life with some quirky aspects to it" boring, which is the factor that makes Wes Anderson's films, and Caleb Coy's novel something you can't really look away from.
The book serves as a great tongue-in-cheek look at Millenials (having been written by one) that does really well at pointing out many of our weaknesses without bashing it over our head.
Given that it is self-published there are a few editing errors with spelling and grammar, but once you get to know the main protagonist Neil you might be like me and question if those are errors are really errors or if Neil adds them in his narrative for irony's sake.
Ultimately it was an enjoyable read. Even if you don't pay attention to or worry about the critique of modern day culture, the story is still one that will keep you reading. It was a good read, and to quote the review on the back of the physical copy again, "I didn't hate it."
The back of the book has a review that says that the book reads like a Wes Anderson film opening monologue. I agree. I don't know how to explain it other than to say that it's boring, but not a bad boring. It's more of a "This is just sort of a story of life with some quirky aspects to it" boring, which is the factor that makes Wes Anderson's films, and Caleb Coy's novel something you can't really look away from.
The book serves as a great tongue-in-cheek look at Millenials (having been written by one) that does really well at pointing out many of our weaknesses without bashing it over our head.
Given that it is self-published there are a few editing errors with spelling and grammar, but once you get to know the main protagonist Neil you might be like me and question if those are errors are really errors or if Neil adds them in his narrative for irony's sake.
Ultimately it was an enjoyable read. Even if you don't pay attention to or worry about the critique of modern day culture, the story is still one that will keep you reading. It was a good read, and to quote the review on the back of the physical copy again, "I didn't hate it."
October 11, 2015
An Authentic Derivative, the debut novel from Caleb Coy, and self-published at that, is a unique work of millennial-targeted satire. And oh how it is spot on. Coy, a millennial himself, mocks his own generation by pointing out not only many of their flaws, but their inevitable causes as well: passion, apathy, ignorance, knowledge, and perhaps most of all, a genuine/yet awkward hunger for identity through both conformity and rebellion. Coy's Oberlin speaks for many in this generation, especially those who miss or deny him speaking on their behalf. "Wick", as we come to know him, is the perfect archetype of the millennial (for so many): one who wishes to be greatly known, yet poorly understood. Even an attempt to convey such a view is confusing and that alone makes sense. Coy introduces us to a cast of characters we love because they remind us so much of our own friends and compadres. And it is the same cast we hate because they remind us so much of ourselves. That it would appear is satire in it's truest form. It is said Fitzgerald wrote Gatsby with the intent to present "something new"; and he did. We know not fully your intent Mr. Coy, but thank you for the same: something new. NO PROMO.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews