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Binge Until Tragedy
Laden with the grief of losing his childhood best friend to suicide and the weight of the "Real World" approaching fast, Joel Lupo buys a one-way ticket to Paris after graduating from college. With his faithful friends, Riley and Kev, at his side, a carry-on full of whiskey nips, and the promise of drugs, women and the chance to finally speak French (the damn beautiful tongue), Joel heads to Europe to seek adventure, excitement, and new vices.But through the haze of hallucinogens and prostitutes, new friends and new lovers (Joel quite liked to use the word 'lover,' when in Europe), bloody red wine and absinthe, something gnaws at Joel in the pit. It follows him from Paris, across the pulsating cities of the continent. It takes hold of him and eats away at his thoughts, his mood, his friendships.Across the warm waters of the Mediterranean, an awakening foments on the coasts of North Revolution.
486 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 17, 2020
“My phone had been off for a day. I felt no reason to compulsively check it, nor my Facebook. I lay in bed, paralyzed, listening to the sweet piano acoustics of Chopin. I was in a wine mood, a red wine mood.” Joel Lupo buys a one-way ticket to Paris after graduating from college. In this very interesting book. His from Paris, across the pulsating cities of the continent. It takes hold of him and eats away at his thoughts, his mood, and his friendships.It was a great book and how he traveled to different countries. I love reading about his journey and his experience throughout the book
August 18, 2020
This book has multiple interwoven story lines that converge both dramatically and explosively.
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The main character, Joel, makes it hard for the reader to love him while also making it hard to hate him. The grief stricken narrative sheds light on the many ways people deal (or blatantly don’t deal) with grief. A topic that was relatable to me personally. Throughout the book, I found myself fighting over Joel’s moral choices while cheering him on during his (brief) moments of clarity.
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Overall a fun and interesting read. I will admit it had me crying like a baby then blushing like a school girl.
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The main character, Joel, makes it hard for the reader to love him while also making it hard to hate him. The grief stricken narrative sheds light on the many ways people deal (or blatantly don’t deal) with grief. A topic that was relatable to me personally. Throughout the book, I found myself fighting over Joel’s moral choices while cheering him on during his (brief) moments of clarity.
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Overall a fun and interesting read. I will admit it had me crying like a baby then blushing like a school girl.
May 27, 2020
An exciting story of friendship,revolution and growing up as a human being. As Joel and his friends seek out adventure and relief from a world gone crazy, truth steps up . A good read for anyone that is politically and culturally conscious.
January 15, 2019
3.5 stars.
Binge Until Tragedy is a book about many things- including friendship, death, politics and trying to find purpose in life. The book starts with following Joel- who recently lost his childhood best friend (Adam) due to suicide. After graduating from college Joel and his friends Kev and Riley decide to travel to Europe and post pone graduate school and/or work. The three of them spend their time exploring several cities and countries in Europe as well as lots of drugs, alcohol and sex. Joel who is grieving the loss of his best friend Adam starts to have dreams and hallucinations about Adam and to cope he continues to increase his use of alcohol, drugs and sex and take bigger risks.
I found the characters to be well developed and appreciated learning the background of Kev and Riley in additional to Joel as that helps to better understand them. The characters all had their own personal struggles making them relatable. I found them all a bit difficult to like at times- especially Joel. He seems like a decent guy but his struggles with grief seem to be clouding his judgement and he makes a lot of very poor decisions. And it was HARD to read about some of these decisions- how he treated his friends, the sex “situations” he ended up in, etc. The book was quite long, and it seems that it could have been shortened without changing the impact of the story. It seemed an excessive amount of time was spent on the alcohol, drug and sex scenes (additionally I think some of the sex scenes could have been either shortened or cut out). While I understand the author wanting to demonstrate the grief Joel was experiencing, I still found it a bit much at times.
In addition to following Joel and his friends a storyline develops about the revolution in Northern African Countries, particularly Algeria, mostly from the viewpoint of an individual named Salim. The first chapter that was written in third person about the revolution in Algeria took me by surprise; I think it could have been introduced differently. However, I quickly picked up on it and found myself enjoying reading about the politic developments in Algeria. It was neat to see how the two-story lines eventually connected. The ending took me by surprise!
Overall this book was an interesting read and very well written. The descriptions of the countries/cities were well done and intriguing. I did find myself wanting to pack up and go traveling in Europe, something I’ve been wanting to do for years (and will do one day)!
Thank you to BookTasters and the author, Ben D’Alessio, for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Binge Until Tragedy is a book about many things- including friendship, death, politics and trying to find purpose in life. The book starts with following Joel- who recently lost his childhood best friend (Adam) due to suicide. After graduating from college Joel and his friends Kev and Riley decide to travel to Europe and post pone graduate school and/or work. The three of them spend their time exploring several cities and countries in Europe as well as lots of drugs, alcohol and sex. Joel who is grieving the loss of his best friend Adam starts to have dreams and hallucinations about Adam and to cope he continues to increase his use of alcohol, drugs and sex and take bigger risks.
I found the characters to be well developed and appreciated learning the background of Kev and Riley in additional to Joel as that helps to better understand them. The characters all had their own personal struggles making them relatable. I found them all a bit difficult to like at times- especially Joel. He seems like a decent guy but his struggles with grief seem to be clouding his judgement and he makes a lot of very poor decisions. And it was HARD to read about some of these decisions- how he treated his friends, the sex “situations” he ended up in, etc. The book was quite long, and it seems that it could have been shortened without changing the impact of the story. It seemed an excessive amount of time was spent on the alcohol, drug and sex scenes (additionally I think some of the sex scenes could have been either shortened or cut out). While I understand the author wanting to demonstrate the grief Joel was experiencing, I still found it a bit much at times.
In addition to following Joel and his friends a storyline develops about the revolution in Northern African Countries, particularly Algeria, mostly from the viewpoint of an individual named Salim. The first chapter that was written in third person about the revolution in Algeria took me by surprise; I think it could have been introduced differently. However, I quickly picked up on it and found myself enjoying reading about the politic developments in Algeria. It was neat to see how the two-story lines eventually connected. The ending took me by surprise!
Overall this book was an interesting read and very well written. The descriptions of the countries/cities were well done and intriguing. I did find myself wanting to pack up and go traveling in Europe, something I’ve been wanting to do for years (and will do one day)!
Thank you to BookTasters and the author, Ben D’Alessio, for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2019
This book is discombobulating at times, but weaves together a story about loss, friendship, politics, and growth. At times, I felt that the alcohol, sex, and drugs were taking attention away from the main story until I got to the end of the book. I realized that the author was relaying how people cope with grief, pain, and loss.
Joel, one of our main characters, loses his childhood friend to suicide. After graduation, Joel decides to travel to Europe with his friends. I appreciated the detail put into the supporting characters because it helped create a beautiful character arc.
The author also wove in a storyline regarding the revolution in Algeria from the perspective of a character named Salim. Like the beginning of the book, the introduction to this new storyline was very discombobulating, but once we get deeper into the story I became thoroughly intrigued. Seeing how the two stories connect was surprising and yet intriguing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend that people just keep powering through! The detail put into the characters and settings were very well written!
Joel, one of our main characters, loses his childhood friend to suicide. After graduation, Joel decides to travel to Europe with his friends. I appreciated the detail put into the supporting characters because it helped create a beautiful character arc.
The author also wove in a storyline regarding the revolution in Algeria from the perspective of a character named Salim. Like the beginning of the book, the introduction to this new storyline was very discombobulating, but once we get deeper into the story I became thoroughly intrigued. Seeing how the two stories connect was surprising and yet intriguing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend that people just keep powering through! The detail put into the characters and settings were very well written!
January 21, 2020
An excellent read, not for the faint of heart. This book will have you questioning yourself (and sometimes the world) on more than one occasion, while experiencing a mixture of confusing emotions. If you're ready for a good, thoughtful read, this is the book to choose.
This book really offers something for everyone, no matter what genre you are looking for. While dealing with grief and political struggles worldwide, there was also a humor throughout that left you wanting to read more. I felt that I was able to connect very easily with each of the main characters, and the dialogue felt very lifelike. I would definitely recommend this book to all ages! The author has very clean and sharp language that will make you laugh, empathize and reflect on the story. It was hard to put this book down
This book really offers something for everyone, no matter what genre you are looking for. While dealing with grief and political struggles worldwide, there was also a humor throughout that left you wanting to read more. I felt that I was able to connect very easily with each of the main characters, and the dialogue felt very lifelike. I would definitely recommend this book to all ages! The author has very clean and sharp language that will make you laugh, empathize and reflect on the story. It was hard to put this book down
December 30, 2018
This starts off as a coming of age/finding yourself type of story and morphs into politics and all things related to war.
There is a lot of unrest in the story, both personal and political. The political war driven backdrop is a reflection of past events, but it does mimic current times. While well written and easy to read, this is not light. It is extremely heavy and contains a lot of death, as happens during times of war. The story is filled with detail. At times the details were on the graphic side. The time and attention paid to the geographical details makes you feel as if you were with the characters in each location.
There is a lot of unrest in the story, both personal and political. The political war driven backdrop is a reflection of past events, but it does mimic current times. While well written and easy to read, this is not light. It is extremely heavy and contains a lot of death, as happens during times of war. The story is filled with detail. At times the details were on the graphic side. The time and attention paid to the geographical details makes you feel as if you were with the characters in each location.
October 14, 2019
The book started out very descriptive, if juvenile in that. Most of the beginning scenes are staged so a person who never enjoyed college life gets a glimpse of the party side. Realistic? Maybe but not al there is. Leading into the friend and the downward spiralling is cliche but fits with the journey through the book. I didn’t enjoy the book as I thought I would, given my own history and experience with suicide. I found I couldn’t relate the Joel as a human. He was too human. Either way I would recommend the book for reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2019
Absolutely enjoyed this book!! It explores many themes that are beautifully woven into the story, including politics, the pursuit of pleasure, love and addiction. The mental climates and the mindscapes of the protagonist created a story with a powerful, yet amusing (and relatable) psychological conflict. The author did an exceptional job developing the characters, from start to finish! Great writing, captivating plot and a memorable cast...job well done, Mr. D'Alessio!!
December 15, 2019
An enjoyable and delightful read. The storyline is well written and it really makes you think. It's filled with love, sex, friendship, and purpose. It even has politics and comedy. The characters are relatable. It may have some graphic detail, but nothing too crazy. It is a bit longer than the author's other works, however, it definitely keeps you wanting to read more. I highly recommend it.
July 3, 2017
*****I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review***** There were several things I liked about this book but it wasn't enough to distract from all the things I didn't. The writing was pretty good but sometimes it just got so tedious that I found myself skipping parts. This book was long - a really long ~500 pages. I think there were definitely parts that could have been cut and not impact the story. I don't mind sex, when I'm reading that kind of novel, but here, it felt gratuitous and drawn out.
I also didn't like that the author took liberties with history that didn't make sense. For example, the parts about the twin towers and the foiled plot, it didn't make sense to change that history. They story still would have worked. I also didn't like the random supernatural bit in the middle. The death part was never really explained and never quite made sense to me.
I had a hard time liking a lot of the characters. The protagonist is obnoxious and pretty selfish. Every time I thought he was having some kind of break through he'd slip even further down. Who goes on vacation with friends and then goes off - leaving the lone female to travel alone - on some tangent with a girl you just met? A large number of secondary characters were so stereotypical that it was borderline offensive (and actually even the mains - the obnoxious, drunk, drugged out frat boy; the promiscuous feminist with commitment issues).
So what did I like about the book? Well I did actually liked reading about Joel, Riley, and Kevin. I kept waiting for Joel's big revelation...when he finally got it all figured out. I loved the description of the places they went to - it made me want to grab my backpack and trek across Europe. I like the relationships- no one was perfect. Everyone struggled but somehow it worked. I liked that there wasn't any tension or feelings between Riley and Joel or Kevin.
I hated the ending. It felt like the author got to that point, said Holy Sh!t this thing is 500 pages I'd better wrap it up. We spent days doing nothing in the desert and then bam it was all over.
I also didn't like that the author took liberties with history that didn't make sense. For example, the parts about the twin towers and the foiled plot, it didn't make sense to change that history. They story still would have worked. I also didn't like the random supernatural bit in the middle. The death part was never really explained and never quite made sense to me.
I had a hard time liking a lot of the characters. The protagonist is obnoxious and pretty selfish. Every time I thought he was having some kind of break through he'd slip even further down. Who goes on vacation with friends and then goes off - leaving the lone female to travel alone - on some tangent with a girl you just met? A large number of secondary characters were so stereotypical that it was borderline offensive (and actually even the mains - the obnoxious, drunk, drugged out frat boy; the promiscuous feminist with commitment issues).
So what did I like about the book? Well I did actually liked reading about Joel, Riley, and Kevin. I kept waiting for Joel's big revelation...when he finally got it all figured out. I loved the description of the places they went to - it made me want to grab my backpack and trek across Europe. I like the relationships- no one was perfect. Everyone struggled but somehow it worked. I liked that there wasn't any tension or feelings between Riley and Joel or Kevin.
I hated the ending. It felt like the author got to that point, said Holy Sh!t this thing is 500 pages I'd better wrap it up. We spent days doing nothing in the desert and then bam it was all over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2017
Binge Until Tragedy is a book about a group of college graduates, Joel, Riley and Kevin, that travels to Europe, and, from their first stop in Paris, to different other countries there. At the same time, it narrates the rise of revolution in several North-African countries, specially in Algeria, where at the same time a very dangerous revolutionary group is taking over several parts of that country. So it happens that, as Joel follows the news about the developments there, decides to travel to Algiers to join the revolution and free Algeria from its oppressive governor.
This is an entertaining as well as intense story, relating the problems of a grieving Joel, who had lost his best friend Adam to suicide, seeking to go ahead with his life and the disastrous developments is African countries where people don't have freedom and live among oppression. The plot is very well developed, the book has a clear thread that goes from the beginning to the end. It even includes a good server of humor, asst several parts out made me laugh out lout. The end of the story was a complete surprise to me, and more generally spiken, the author managed to keep my attention, even though it is a very long book(more than 500 pages). The characters are well developed and give an insight of their personal struggles.
It has been an interesting read.
This is an entertaining as well as intense story, relating the problems of a grieving Joel, who had lost his best friend Adam to suicide, seeking to go ahead with his life and the disastrous developments is African countries where people don't have freedom and live among oppression. The plot is very well developed, the book has a clear thread that goes from the beginning to the end. It even includes a good server of humor, asst several parts out made me laugh out lout. The end of the story was a complete surprise to me, and more generally spiken, the author managed to keep my attention, even though it is a very long book(more than 500 pages). The characters are well developed and give an insight of their personal struggles.
It has been an interesting read.
January 15, 2020
It is easier to get into the book and start reading it than to maintain that interest throughout.
The start is very interesting and I loved the way the characters were introduced. Each one done in such a way that it didn't seem out of way and still managed to paint the picture about the said character.
The narration is good. It definitely feels flowing smoothly and not abrupt. Also everything had a balance. Even the binge drinking or substance use or sex scenes were in proportion and not blown out. In short didn't make me cringe.
Lot of themes relating to human emotions and everyday relationships are very well explored.
The theme of friend and death worked well. What didn't work for me was the political aspect. It was too much for at a point that it was just politics and less a story. But it does end up tying everything and giving a fitting finale.
Overall the book is really well written and if politics is your cup of tea than definitely your kind of read.
The start is very interesting and I loved the way the characters were introduced. Each one done in such a way that it didn't seem out of way and still managed to paint the picture about the said character.
The narration is good. It definitely feels flowing smoothly and not abrupt. Also everything had a balance. Even the binge drinking or substance use or sex scenes were in proportion and not blown out. In short didn't make me cringe.
Lot of themes relating to human emotions and everyday relationships are very well explored.
The theme of friend and death worked well. What didn't work for me was the political aspect. It was too much for at a point that it was just politics and less a story. But it does end up tying everything and giving a fitting finale.
Overall the book is really well written and if politics is your cup of tea than definitely your kind of read.
May 8, 2021
Binge Until Tragedy explores one man’s journey to come to terms with his loss! – Having lost a childhood friend to suicide, the protagonist buys a one-way plane ticket to France with his friends whilst musing about a life of liquor, women, and drugs - Could life be reduced to two-minutes wonder?
D'Alessio explores many themes that are beautifully woven into the story – friendship, loss, love, the pursuit of pleasure, addiction, and politics. I enjoyed the way the author explores the mental climates and the mindscapes of the protagonist, a story with a powerful psychological conflict. The characters are well-developed and, from the start, the reader is intrigued by the conversation taking place in the protagonist’s mind; the voice that speaks to him.
Binge Until Tragedy features a well-paced plot, a cast of memorable characters, and great writing. The story is very entertaining as it showcases contemporary European culture, and deserves a 5* rating!
D'Alessio explores many themes that are beautifully woven into the story – friendship, loss, love, the pursuit of pleasure, addiction, and politics. I enjoyed the way the author explores the mental climates and the mindscapes of the protagonist, a story with a powerful psychological conflict. The characters are well-developed and, from the start, the reader is intrigued by the conversation taking place in the protagonist’s mind; the voice that speaks to him.
Binge Until Tragedy features a well-paced plot, a cast of memorable characters, and great writing. The story is very entertaining as it showcases contemporary European culture, and deserves a 5* rating!
October 10, 2017
I find Joel Lupo's narrative (he narrates a lot of this book) sort of on the intellectual side, and quite descriptive in some places, which I appreciate; though I wasn't too much of a fan of the way he sometimes spoke to people when he was drunk. I wasn't fond of Adam Reichman's parents. I also liked how Joel gives a bit of background on his school friends: Riley Johansson and Kevin Caligan. The political side of this novel was quite interesting: you have the American side, then you have the Algerian side. I also came to like who the Algiers citizens 'La Petite Mere' (The Little Mother). The things that Joel and his friends got up to in Paris was quite fascinating - though I found a lot of the travelling that Joel and his friends did amusing.
October 5, 2020
It was a bit of a struggle to start with, but once I passed the initial parts about the sex and drugs it unexpectedly pulled me in.
I couldn't really decide if I found Joel completely believable or not, but I never felt bored following his story. I really enjoyed how strongly he felt about his actions, despite not always being able to explain himself properly.
The ending took me by surprise. It probably shouldn't have but I didn't see it coming.
At times I felt it was a little too long, but ultimately it was a good read. Thought provoking.
I couldn't really decide if I found Joel completely believable or not, but I never felt bored following his story. I really enjoyed how strongly he felt about his actions, despite not always being able to explain himself properly.
The ending took me by surprise. It probably shouldn't have but I didn't see it coming.
At times I felt it was a little too long, but ultimately it was a good read. Thought provoking.
December 11, 2023
At the start, my first impression was that the narrator spoke to the reader with a kind of openness and honesty that I found refreshing. Reading on, I found myself questioning the actions and intentions of the protagonist, Joel. I felt as though I didn't fully understand him, but I think that's often the case with characters. Maybe a little too long to read in one sitting, depending on what kind of reader you are, but there was a lot going on in this story, and it felt like an adventure.
December 26, 2023
I honestly didn't feel that it's a writer first book...
The story of joel and his adventure is amazing..
Every little thing was so good... I will look forward for the writer' s more book...
I highly recommend this to you..
The story of joel and his adventure is amazing..
Every little thing was so good... I will look forward for the writer' s more book...
I highly recommend this to you..
April 12, 2020
Joel has lost his closest friend Adam to suicide. Post his graduation from college, Joel along with two of his friends Kev and Riley, decides to explore Europe. In the course of this story, the author has touched upon the political atmosphere as well as personal relations. I like the way the emotions and relationships have been handled and expressed. They make the characterisation of all the participants in the story come alive. Though the book is not a light read, it is very readable, making it quite engaging.
The book could have been just a bit shorter. There were parts where I felt myself dragging my feet. All in all, a read I would recommend.
The book could have been just a bit shorter. There were parts where I felt myself dragging my feet. All in all, a read I would recommend.
January 20, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think Joel is a genuine character who most readers can relate to in one form or another, even with his “dark” times and selfish behaviour at times I felt I wanted to continue his journey throughout the novel. However, I also feel that the story was dragged out a little bit and it could have come to a conclusion a little sooner than it did.
My other positives are 1) the various locations and travel descriptions were great, and 2) the relationship between the characters.
Overall, a good coming of age book. The realism and the harrowing events that unfold make it a good read.
I think Joel is a genuine character who most readers can relate to in one form or another, even with his “dark” times and selfish behaviour at times I felt I wanted to continue his journey throughout the novel. However, I also feel that the story was dragged out a little bit and it could have come to a conclusion a little sooner than it did.
My other positives are 1) the various locations and travel descriptions were great, and 2) the relationship between the characters.
Overall, a good coming of age book. The realism and the harrowing events that unfold make it a good read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews