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Mark Genevich #2
No Sleep Till Wonderland: A Hard Boiled Mystery Where a Narcoleptic PI Battles Waking Dreams and Reality
Narcoleptic Southie PI Mark Genevich is back—in this sequel to The Little Sleep from the Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Survivor Song and The Cabin at the End of the World.
Like most private eyes, Mark Genevich is something of a lone wolf. So group therapy isn’t a great fit. But his landlord/mother is convinced it will help his narcolepsy—ignoring the fact that his disorder is a physical condition. Truth is, he has the time. It’s been a year and a half since his last big case, and his business could best be described as, well, sleepy.
It’s never a wise choice to go on a two-day bender with someone you meet in group therapy, but there’s something about Gus that intrigues Genevich. And when his new drinking buddy asks him to protect a female friend who’s being stalked, the PI finally has a case.
Unfortunately, he’s about to sleepwalk right into a very real nightmare. Before long he’s a suspect in an arson investigation and running afoul of everyone from the cops to a litigious lawyer and a bouncer with anger management issues. Genevich must keep his wits about him—always a challenge for a detective prone to unexpected blackouts and hallucinations—to solve the crime and live to show up at his next therapy session.
In Paul Tremblay’s follow-up to The Little Sleep, unreliable narrator Mark Genevich once again leads readers on a surreal and suspenseful wild ride through the mean streets of South Boston and his own dreamlike reality.
Like most private eyes, Mark Genevich is something of a lone wolf. So group therapy isn’t a great fit. But his landlord/mother is convinced it will help his narcolepsy—ignoring the fact that his disorder is a physical condition. Truth is, he has the time. It’s been a year and a half since his last big case, and his business could best be described as, well, sleepy.
It’s never a wise choice to go on a two-day bender with someone you meet in group therapy, but there’s something about Gus that intrigues Genevich. And when his new drinking buddy asks him to protect a female friend who’s being stalked, the PI finally has a case.
Unfortunately, he’s about to sleepwalk right into a very real nightmare. Before long he’s a suspect in an arson investigation and running afoul of everyone from the cops to a litigious lawyer and a bouncer with anger management issues. Genevich must keep his wits about him—always a challenge for a detective prone to unexpected blackouts and hallucinations—to solve the crime and live to show up at his next therapy session.
In Paul Tremblay’s follow-up to The Little Sleep, unreliable narrator Mark Genevich once again leads readers on a surreal and suspenseful wild ride through the mean streets of South Boston and his own dreamlike reality.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
30 people are currently reading
1457 people want to read
About the author
Paul Tremblay
127 books11.8k followersPaul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, the Sheridan Le Fanu, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Horror Movie, The Beast You, Are, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, Growing Things, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His novel The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted as the Universal Pictures film Knock at the Cabin. His short fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly online, and numerous year’s-best anthologies. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and lives outside Boston with his family. He is represented by Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
April 26, 2021
Being that I enjoyed THE LITTLE SLEEP so much, I was excited to see the next in the series was available from NetGalley. I clicked on that request tout sweet and here we are.
NO SLEEP TILL WONDERLAND continues the story of Mark Genevich, P.I. and narcoleptic. With his dark, dry and wry sense of humor, I can't help but feel sorry for the man. This time around Mark is hired by a man to follow his woman to see if she's cheating on him. It's all over pretty quickly when Mark discovers that she's clean as a whistle. Then, somehow, Mark is caught up with a new best friend, (sort of), he's pulling people out of burning homes, (kind of), and of course, he's falling asleep and hallucinating and can't tell what's real. That's just another day in the life of Mark Genevich.
I admit to still being fascinated by narcolepsy, which involves a lot more than falling asleep all the time. However, this being the second book now, I feel like I'm being hammered over the head with repeats of the different ways the situation affects Mark. I'm sad to say that Mark's self-deprecating humor about his situation is also getting tired for me. I like the guy, but enough already.
Lastly, I'm having a hard time finding the whole thing believable, to be honest. In this book, Ellen, (Mark's mom), is requiring him to go to therapy if he wants her to keep his office open. Let's face it, a detective that falls asleep all the time-how successful is he going to be? Mark smokes, he drinks and he's not supposed to drive. It costs money for cigarettes, liquor and Ubers or cabs. Is his mom paying for all that too?
Setting those particulars aside, there was a big reveal here that took my legs out from under me, and there were a few very tense scenes as well. I learned a bit about Cataplexy in this book and now that's like my number one new fear. Imagine being awake and cogent, but unable to move or speak. (So yeah, now you can be afraid of it too.)
The mystery here ebbed and flowed, but it just didn't get under my skin like the first book did. I still like Mark, but he has to take some control of his life. Otherwise, he's getting kind of boring. I wish I could report this book was just as good as the first, but I don't feel like it was. However, I remain eager to continue with the series in the hopes that Mark cleans up his act in the future and maybe comes up with a little bit of new material.
*Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
NO SLEEP TILL WONDERLAND continues the story of Mark Genevich, P.I. and narcoleptic. With his dark, dry and wry sense of humor, I can't help but feel sorry for the man. This time around Mark is hired by a man to follow his woman to see if she's cheating on him. It's all over pretty quickly when Mark discovers that she's clean as a whistle. Then, somehow, Mark is caught up with a new best friend, (sort of), he's pulling people out of burning homes, (kind of), and of course, he's falling asleep and hallucinating and can't tell what's real. That's just another day in the life of Mark Genevich.
I admit to still being fascinated by narcolepsy, which involves a lot more than falling asleep all the time. However, this being the second book now, I feel like I'm being hammered over the head with repeats of the different ways the situation affects Mark. I'm sad to say that Mark's self-deprecating humor about his situation is also getting tired for me. I like the guy, but enough already.
Lastly, I'm having a hard time finding the whole thing believable, to be honest. In this book, Ellen, (Mark's mom), is requiring him to go to therapy if he wants her to keep his office open. Let's face it, a detective that falls asleep all the time-how successful is he going to be? Mark smokes, he drinks and he's not supposed to drive. It costs money for cigarettes, liquor and Ubers or cabs. Is his mom paying for all that too?
Setting those particulars aside, there was a big reveal here that took my legs out from under me, and there were a few very tense scenes as well. I learned a bit about Cataplexy in this book and now that's like my number one new fear. Imagine being awake and cogent, but unable to move or speak. (So yeah, now you can be afraid of it too.)
The mystery here ebbed and flowed, but it just didn't get under my skin like the first book did. I still like Mark, but he has to take some control of his life. Otherwise, he's getting kind of boring. I wish I could report this book was just as good as the first, but I don't feel like it was. However, I remain eager to continue with the series in the hopes that Mark cleans up his act in the future and maybe comes up with a little bit of new material.
*Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
January 7, 2011
You're writing a book. You want to sell it. Can't sell it on literary merit because there really isn't any? No problem. Invent a character quirk that you can work into the novel to lure the publishing companies in. Give them something they can put on the back of the jacket to catch the reader and force them to buy the book if for no other reason than to see how this inane premise will work out.
This book? Give your character narcolepsy and then have him talk about it ad nauseum to fill space in your absurdly anorexic novel.
Sold. You sold it. Great. Better change your name and think of a new gimmick to sell another one because I'm fairly certain you won't get away with this for much longer.
I have to say however- I loved the first book in this series. I thought the story and prose were written in earnest and Tremblay was really, really giving it his all. But like most follow-ups on a really short deadline, this book suffered from every mood swing Paul had while writing it- mostly negative and angry. Not witty and not funny but just plain mean, mostly to itself. Seriously self-depricating.
Other than that, there really isn't much to at about the book. It's a pale simulacrum of it's predecessor, it has zero wit, zero poetry and nothing but sickening self loathing that not even a few fist fights or even gunplay could get me to like.
This book? Give your character narcolepsy and then have him talk about it ad nauseum to fill space in your absurdly anorexic novel.
Sold. You sold it. Great. Better change your name and think of a new gimmick to sell another one because I'm fairly certain you won't get away with this for much longer.
I have to say however- I loved the first book in this series. I thought the story and prose were written in earnest and Tremblay was really, really giving it his all. But like most follow-ups on a really short deadline, this book suffered from every mood swing Paul had while writing it- mostly negative and angry. Not witty and not funny but just plain mean, mostly to itself. Seriously self-depricating.
Other than that, there really isn't much to at about the book. It's a pale simulacrum of it's predecessor, it has zero wit, zero poetry and nothing but sickening self loathing that not even a few fist fights or even gunplay could get me to like.
May 11, 2015
First of all: this book does NOT stand alone -- one must read The Little Sleep first for context.
That book gave an idea of Mark's life, with hints of (allusions to) how he got there. This one shows how dysfunctional his life really is, without all that running around on the Cape and such for distraction. As the story opens, Mark's in group therapy, involuntarily as his mother has threatened to pull the plug on subsidizing him otherwise. Echoes of Hildy from The Good House was how that opening struck me. He maintains that having no friends, and no life, is fine ... you can't miss what you never had, at least in many years (now I sound just like Mark). However, another member offers friendship, which Mark seizes like a piranha at an underwater blood bank (see previous comment about sounding like Mark). Not wanting to toss out spoilers, and hating re-hashed plots, I'll say that the "friendship" goes horribly wrong, leads to involvement in a situation where he's treated as a suspect when he's actually the hero, and ... oh yeah ... is almost murdered in an incident that shocks even the jaded police. The remaining loose ends aren't so much tied up, as snipped off, for closure.
As may be evident by now, I really like Mark a lot as a character, finding his comments very funny. So, throughout my reading I was dreading the fact that there's no third book; until the end, when it's fairly clear that doing so might not work. The events of this adventure force him to face the details of the accident which caused his physical and mental scarring. The edgy, bitter tone seems in check, if not eliminated entirely. A third book would have to go in "a whole new direction" (as they say) that probably wouldn't be the same.
Four stars might be a bit generous, but as a Mark fanboi, I can't bring myself to give only three, so three-point-something would be the true number. Stephen Thorne's narration, on the other hand, remains in solid five-star territory, especially for Mark's "friend" Gus, the villain who nearly kills him (spoiler if I identify the person), and the rest of the secondary cast.
That book gave an idea of Mark's life, with hints of (allusions to) how he got there. This one shows how dysfunctional his life really is, without all that running around on the Cape and such for distraction. As the story opens, Mark's in group therapy, involuntarily as his mother has threatened to pull the plug on subsidizing him otherwise. Echoes of Hildy from The Good House was how that opening struck me. He maintains that having no friends, and no life, is fine ... you can't miss what you never had, at least in many years (now I sound just like Mark). However, another member offers friendship, which Mark seizes like a piranha at an underwater blood bank (see previous comment about sounding like Mark). Not wanting to toss out spoilers, and hating re-hashed plots, I'll say that the "friendship" goes horribly wrong, leads to involvement in a situation where he's treated as a suspect when he's actually the hero, and ... oh yeah ... is almost murdered in an incident that shocks even the jaded police. The remaining loose ends aren't so much tied up, as snipped off, for closure.
As may be evident by now, I really like Mark a lot as a character, finding his comments very funny. So, throughout my reading I was dreading the fact that there's no third book; until the end, when it's fairly clear that doing so might not work. The events of this adventure force him to face the details of the accident which caused his physical and mental scarring. The edgy, bitter tone seems in check, if not eliminated entirely. A third book would have to go in "a whole new direction" (as they say) that probably wouldn't be the same.
Four stars might be a bit generous, but as a Mark fanboi, I can't bring myself to give only three, so three-point-something would be the true number. Stephen Thorne's narration, on the other hand, remains in solid five-star territory, especially for Mark's "friend" Gus, the villain who nearly kills him (spoiler if I identify the person), and the rest of the secondary cast.
March 1, 2021
I eagerly dove into No Sleep Till Wonderland by one of my favorite authors, Paul Tremblay. When I had learned that Tremblay also had a series of mystery fiction in addition to his renowned horror/suspense stories and books, I was prepared for an immersive experience.
What I did not know was that this was the second in the Mark Genevich series (the first being The Little Sleep). So I was unexpectedly thrust into the noir world of a sarcastic, self-deprecating narcoleptic Boston-based investigator. Under the thumb of his mother/landlord, Mark is compelled to attend group therapy meetings as a condition for free rent. It is at one of these meetings that Mark encounters Gus, a magnetic stranger who first befriends and later hires him to help out a lady friend “in need.” As is typical in these types of stories, the dame is bad news and leads our sleepy hero on a twisting and dangerous quest. It is obvious that Tremblay is having a bit of fun poking at the tropes of the hard-boiled detective novel and the misanthropic/misogynistic traits of the narrator. In between racing into fires, getting beat up and having awkward sex, Mark battles with his condition and the constant dream-like state it produces. Since the reader is only privy to his point-of-view, the storyline becomes a meandering series of confusing episodes that may or may capture reality. The gritty vibe and caustic humor is enjoyable at first, but becomes wearing after a while. Mark is “too clever by half” and knows it, and his treatment of women makes him difficult to embrace. Perhaps I would have had a better appreciation for his quirks if I had read the first book. As it was, the impression that I got was that while Tremblay playfully toys with provocation and extremes, the unfortunate result is a collection of wisecracks and misogyny with a plot that fails to be compelling. The novelty of a narcoleptic narrator is unique, but also contrived and unnecessarily distracting. No Sleep Till Wonderland requires a lot of patience from the reader-who may struggle to empathize with Genevich and question his puzzling choice of a profession for which he seems so ill-suited. I could go back and read The Little Sleep to give Tremblay the benefit of the doubt, but I am much more likely to anxiously await his next thriller release instead.
Thanks to the author, St.Martin’s (Griffin), and Edelweiss Plus for an ARC of this book in return for an impartial review.
What I did not know was that this was the second in the Mark Genevich series (the first being The Little Sleep). So I was unexpectedly thrust into the noir world of a sarcastic, self-deprecating narcoleptic Boston-based investigator. Under the thumb of his mother/landlord, Mark is compelled to attend group therapy meetings as a condition for free rent. It is at one of these meetings that Mark encounters Gus, a magnetic stranger who first befriends and later hires him to help out a lady friend “in need.” As is typical in these types of stories, the dame is bad news and leads our sleepy hero on a twisting and dangerous quest. It is obvious that Tremblay is having a bit of fun poking at the tropes of the hard-boiled detective novel and the misanthropic/misogynistic traits of the narrator. In between racing into fires, getting beat up and having awkward sex, Mark battles with his condition and the constant dream-like state it produces. Since the reader is only privy to his point-of-view, the storyline becomes a meandering series of confusing episodes that may or may capture reality. The gritty vibe and caustic humor is enjoyable at first, but becomes wearing after a while. Mark is “too clever by half” and knows it, and his treatment of women makes him difficult to embrace. Perhaps I would have had a better appreciation for his quirks if I had read the first book. As it was, the impression that I got was that while Tremblay playfully toys with provocation and extremes, the unfortunate result is a collection of wisecracks and misogyny with a plot that fails to be compelling. The novelty of a narcoleptic narrator is unique, but also contrived and unnecessarily distracting. No Sleep Till Wonderland requires a lot of patience from the reader-who may struggle to empathize with Genevich and question his puzzling choice of a profession for which he seems so ill-suited. I could go back and read The Little Sleep to give Tremblay the benefit of the doubt, but I am much more likely to anxiously await his next thriller release instead.
Thanks to the author, St.Martin’s (Griffin), and Edelweiss Plus for an ARC of this book in return for an impartial review.
March 28, 2024
Mark Genevich, the struggling narcoleptic private investigator, returns in “No Sleep Till Wonderland” (NSTW) Paul Tremblay’s second novel.
Once more Mark needs to piece his way through the clues to solve his latest case as he tries to sort out his business, his life, and a new found friendship…all while trying to stave off the impacts of his narcolepsy.
There is a lot going on in NSTW. Mark’s latest case involves surveillance on a cheating wife, a stalker, an arson, a missing person, as well as somehow getting caught up in the middle of a murder investigation - that’s a lot to deal with even if you don’t suffer from narcolepsy.
Mark is the ultimate unreliable narrator (not only for the reader but for himself as well). As Mark works through who does or doesn’t know what, who is or isn’t lying, and even if what he isn’t or isn’t actually hearing or seeing is real this might be the case that ends his career…and his life.
Tremblay’s writing is again very easy to read and skilfully allows the reader to see all of the confusion, uncertainty, and inner turmoil that Mark faces (though at times perhaps a little too self-deprecating). The supporting characters are all pitched in perfect noir-style to build the story and the events within.
Mark works his way through the case all of the pieces slowly come together at times more by good luck than good management. However, don’t expect a watertight foolproof plot line - there are some holes…and that’s fine because NSTW is a book that is more about the rich tapestry of characters rather than the overall plot.
Overall NSTW isn’t the greatest detective story written but provides all of the hallmarks of classic hard-boiled noir.
With an open ended conclusion that leaves a hopeful future for our struggling narcoleptic detective NSTW gets 4 self help therapy sessions out of 5.
Once more Mark needs to piece his way through the clues to solve his latest case as he tries to sort out his business, his life, and a new found friendship…all while trying to stave off the impacts of his narcolepsy.
There is a lot going on in NSTW. Mark’s latest case involves surveillance on a cheating wife, a stalker, an arson, a missing person, as well as somehow getting caught up in the middle of a murder investigation - that’s a lot to deal with even if you don’t suffer from narcolepsy.
Mark is the ultimate unreliable narrator (not only for the reader but for himself as well). As Mark works through who does or doesn’t know what, who is or isn’t lying, and even if what he isn’t or isn’t actually hearing or seeing is real this might be the case that ends his career…and his life.
Tremblay’s writing is again very easy to read and skilfully allows the reader to see all of the confusion, uncertainty, and inner turmoil that Mark faces (though at times perhaps a little too self-deprecating). The supporting characters are all pitched in perfect noir-style to build the story and the events within.
Mark works his way through the case all of the pieces slowly come together at times more by good luck than good management. However, don’t expect a watertight foolproof plot line - there are some holes…and that’s fine because NSTW is a book that is more about the rich tapestry of characters rather than the overall plot.
Overall NSTW isn’t the greatest detective story written but provides all of the hallmarks of classic hard-boiled noir.
With an open ended conclusion that leaves a hopeful future for our struggling narcoleptic detective NSTW gets 4 self help therapy sessions out of 5.
July 11, 2023
Yeah, I've loved this series. Paul's writing is bang on here. I don't know if he'll write another Mark Genevich novel, It's been a while, but I'd be there for it 100%
Glad I bought the SST limited editions of this.
If you're considering checking this out, buy the omnibus edition from Titan.
Great stuff.
Five stars.
Glad I bought the SST limited editions of this.
If you're considering checking this out, buy the omnibus edition from Titan.
Great stuff.
Five stars.
September 20, 2023
Reading first person narrative of a main character that suffers from narcolepsy is mind-bendingly fantastic. Definitely a unique concept, and it was extremely well executed. I’m a bit sad that my time with Mark Genevich is over. I feel like I crawled inside his skin for a while, and I’ll miss bumbling around with him. If Tremblay ever decided to revisit this series to add more books, I’d read them for sure. And this solidifies Tremblay’s spot on my list of favourite authors.
April 6, 2010
I have a soft spot for broken personalities and a narcoleptic PI is robably as broken as you can get without overdoing it. Tremblay does a great job of portraying believable characters and that is a hell of a job if you work within a genre that it as ripe with clichè as the noir crime novel. The plot is good and keeps you guessing but the real appeal of the book comes from the witty dialogue of the PI with the other characters and most of all with himself. He is struggling constantly with social phobia, falling asleep, being broke and trying to decide what is real and what is merely a hallucination. Mark Genevich is not a tough guy, he is not a ladies man, he is no hero. You never want to be like him but you really want him to stay awake and get through all the trouble without getting more messed up than he already is. I think that I will remember Genevich as the one PI I was really worried about and that is quote a compliment given the crowds of PIs that are lurking at any given bookstore. "With little Sleep" and this follow up Tremblay established himself firmly as one of my favorite modern crime writers.
January 7, 2016
Because the narrator and main character, Mark Genevich, has narcolepsy and is prone to cataleptic seizures where he experiences everything in a fugue state, there are elements of magical realism throughout. The narcolepsy results in gaps in his story, so the reader has to fill in the blanks. I was glad to do that when reading this book, although I haven't liked it in some other books. The wit of the author shines through on every page.
There were some glaring grammatical errors and some unnecessary scenes, so I subtracted a star.
There were some glaring grammatical errors and some unnecessary scenes, so I subtracted a star.
May 22, 2010
I enjoyed this a lot, although it's not as startling as the first volume (often a problem with sequels to strong novels).
February 15, 2022
“The narcoleptic me is as lonely and hard up for companionship as the awake me”.
The 2nd book in the Genevich series focuses on loneliness and relationships.
We’re back with our narcoleptic PI Mark Genevich and things aren’t going too well: Although he saw a temporary increase in business after he cracked the big case, it’s now on its last leg after he bungled up a surveillance gig for an important CEO by tailing the wrong lady. Said CEO has sicced his lawyer on him and is threatening to sue (or worse).
Furthermore, his mom/landlord/Ellen’s condition for him to continue to live in the apartment is that he goes to group therapy.
Not everything is bad: He’s made a much needed friend (at least a drinking buddy) in fellow group therapy-participant, Gus.
Gus hands Mark both amphetamines and a new job: Watch out for his friend Ekat who’s being stalked by a bouncer/Eddie. Genevich then stumbles upon a fire on his way home from the Ekat job; a fire that also happens to have ties to Eddie as he is the abusive boyfriend of one of the tenants (Jody). Of course, both of these jobs turn out to be linked in intricate and engaging ways.
We see a more worn-down and sad Mark Genevich in the 2nd book of the series; he’s lonely, in need of friends, ambivalent towards the group therapy and his is business struggling. We also learn the truth about what really happened the night Mark was in the car crash where his friend died (and the supposed catalyst for his narcolepsy). A meatier story than the previous feat. a much more fleshed out Genevich than when we last saw him (and a great starting point for a third book, should Tremblay choose to continue the series).
A story about stolen identities, friendships, loneliness, lies (both those from other people and the ones Mark tells himself).
Although I liked the ending, my copy also came with the original (and sadder) ending, which also made sense and didn’t feel wrong to me. I’m happy things ended on this more hopeful note for Mark, though. These books are very different to the Tremblay books I’ve read before (horror) but just as engaging and clever.
December 28, 2018
Literary fiction that still makes you turn the page
The problem I have with Literary Fiction is that you are supposed to love it, but it doesn't always add anything to your literary life.
You'll read The New Yorker, and it mentions some new auteur on the scene, pushing the boundaries of literature - and you read them.
You can see this author's talent, and this author's innovation, but do you enjoy reading them? Are you rushing home from work to read them? After you've read them, do you feel like you are a better person?
Well I know that I -
* Enjoy authors like Bracken MacLeod and Dan Chaon
* Rush home to read Ruth Ware
* Feel smarter and better whenever I read anything by Yuval Noah Harari
Of those authors - maybe Dan Chaon could be considered a writer of Literary Fiction?
Maybe - it's hard to tell.
I know that Harari isn't and his books change the way I, and many others, see the world.
The one thing that MacLeod, Chaon, Ware - and even Harari have in common is that they make you want to turn the page.
Paul Tremblay puts literature into every sentence, but he still pushes the plot forward
Tremblay puts a great deal of thought into every line of his book. His main character is a narcoleptic - but Tremblay finds a way to put a The New Yorker style analysis on every move Mark Genevich makes -
Tremblay doesn't let a single action go without bringing in his words - for example, take this analysis of Genevich's fight with his benefactor -
And yet - the tale just moves ahead
This detective story just keeps moving forward.
Genevich just can not give a straight answer - he is an anti-authoritarian with every bit of his being, and this leads to enemies with most everyone he meets. But this gives an edge to the dialogue, and keeps the tale moving forward.
In short, a good entry point into Genevich and Tremblay, even though this is the second in a series
This tale is apparently the second in the Genevich series, but it functions as a standalone. The main character Genevich repels so many people that most any Genevich book might be a standalone.
But it's great, and I recommend it!
The problem I have with Literary Fiction is that you are supposed to love it, but it doesn't always add anything to your literary life.
You'll read The New Yorker, and it mentions some new auteur on the scene, pushing the boundaries of literature - and you read them.
You can see this author's talent, and this author's innovation, but do you enjoy reading them? Are you rushing home from work to read them? After you've read them, do you feel like you are a better person?
Well I know that I -
* Enjoy authors like Bracken MacLeod and Dan Chaon
* Rush home to read Ruth Ware
* Feel smarter and better whenever I read anything by Yuval Noah Harari
Of those authors - maybe Dan Chaon could be considered a writer of Literary Fiction?
Maybe - it's hard to tell.
I know that Harari isn't and his books change the way I, and many others, see the world.
The one thing that MacLeod, Chaon, Ware - and even Harari have in common is that they make you want to turn the page.
Paul Tremblay puts literature into every sentence, but he still pushes the plot forward
Tremblay puts a great deal of thought into every line of his book. His main character is a narcoleptic - but Tremblay finds a way to put a The New Yorker style analysis on every move Mark Genevich makes -
Sleep won’t solve any problems or answer any questions. My mornings are false starts, and I have them throughout the day and night. And sometimes, mornings are the promises that never come.
Tremblay doesn't let a single action go without bringing in his words - for example, take this analysis of Genevich's fight with his benefactor -
After she sprang the deal on me, we had an argument that went atomic. We’re still in its nuclear winter. I avoid talking to her, and she does the same. She used to come to Southie and crash at my place two nights a week, but Ellen has quarantined herself on the Cape for the entire summer.
And yet - the tale just moves ahead
This detective story just keeps moving forward.
Genevich just can not give a straight answer - he is an anti-authoritarian with every bit of his being, and this leads to enemies with most everyone he meets. But this gives an edge to the dialogue, and keeps the tale moving forward.
In short, a good entry point into Genevich and Tremblay, even though this is the second in a series
This tale is apparently the second in the Genevich series, but it functions as a standalone. The main character Genevich repels so many people that most any Genevich book might be a standalone.
But it's great, and I recommend it!
April 13, 2021
3.5 Stars
Interesting concept for a plot but it fell short for me.
Mark is a narcoleptic PI who's landlord mother has required him to attend group therapy for her continued financial support. It's here that he meets Gus and they end up on a two day bender. From here things get messy both in plot and dialog. Told entirely from Mark's self loathing POV the conversation often goes off on 'witty' tangents but this quickly got annoying for me. I didn't realize this was a follow-up to an earlier novel but I'm not sure if reading that first would have improved my enjoyment of this one. I love the author's other books that I've read that are of a different genre and I wasn't aware he wrote stories other than the horror/thrillers I've enjoyed. What saved this from being a total disappointment is the way the story comes together at the end and how it concludes.
.
Thank you to William Morrow Custom House and NetGalley for the ebook to read for my honest review.
Interesting concept for a plot but it fell short for me.
Mark is a narcoleptic PI who's landlord mother has required him to attend group therapy for her continued financial support. It's here that he meets Gus and they end up on a two day bender. From here things get messy both in plot and dialog. Told entirely from Mark's self loathing POV the conversation often goes off on 'witty' tangents but this quickly got annoying for me. I didn't realize this was a follow-up to an earlier novel but I'm not sure if reading that first would have improved my enjoyment of this one. I love the author's other books that I've read that are of a different genre and I wasn't aware he wrote stories other than the horror/thrillers I've enjoyed. What saved this from being a total disappointment is the way the story comes together at the end and how it concludes.
.
Thank you to William Morrow Custom House and NetGalley for the ebook to read for my honest review.
February 12, 2021
This time Mark lands in the middle of a group of grifters specializing in credit card theft. They weave Mark into their web of lies and deception that threaten his very life. He also comes to terms with the facts regarding the accident that killed his best friend and caused his narcolepsy ten years earlier. I'd like to read more of his adventures. Very highly recommended
April 29, 2023
Solid but not nearly as good as the first. I liked the general plot and the mystery of who started a fire has always intrigued me as a concept, I wish there was more forensics type stuff but I liked this. Main character was still funny but the wit was a little exhausted by the end. Still a really fun read, and the descriptive writing is a highlight of Tremblay’s early work.
December 16, 2020
This has been around for over 10 years has a number of helpful reviews and ratings, so I don't have a lot to add. This is written in a friendly style, and I stayed mostly engaged in this solid mystery. Recommended for mystery fans.
Thanks very much for the review copy!!
Thanks very much for the review copy!!
May 12, 2021
Rating 3.5 really enjoyed it.
February 1, 2023
A hit-or-miss author. Unfortunately, this book is a miss.
March 3, 2010
http://www.hipsterbookclub.com/review...
Modernizing the archetypal hardboiled detective story, Paul Tremblay mixes surrealism with traditional noir in his novel No Sleep till Wonderland. A conceptual twist on the genre amplifies conventional crime fiction and explores the mysterious power of the human mind.
Tremblay first introduced browbeaten South Boston private investigator Mark Genevich in 2009’s The Little Sleep. Mark is barely scraping by after a botched case and an unrelenting struggle with narcolepsy. His condition annihilates his social life and confidence, landing him in group therapy. There, Mark meets a charismatic new friend who solicits his investigative skills. What begins as a straightforward shadowing job develops into a case of arson—with Mark as a main suspect.
Tremblay draws upon classic noir detective stories, modeling Mark after hardboiled fiction legends Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. The book employs distinctive elements of crime fiction from the 1920s–1940s with an updated slant. Mark is characteristically cynical—a hard-drinking, cigarette-smoking loner with a sharp wit and unsentimental voice. “It’s too hot, even for mid-July,” he says at one point. “The mercury pushes past ninety degrees even as the sun stuffs its hands in its pockets, turns its back, and walks away for another night. I feel the same way.”
In the vein of classic detective noir, Mark fulfills the man-on-the-street perspective. He’s an average Joe with his own share of baggage, not particularly educated or advantaged. Like his literary forefathers, Mark embarks on a journey into the seedy underworld in the pursuit of answers.
Mark differs from the Spades and Marlowes of crime fiction, however, with the addition of his ailments. He blames a past accident for his physical handicaps and narcolepsy, but it seems to have left Mark emotionally damaged, as well, since he intentionally isolates himself from others but simultaneously longs for connection. Throughout the book, Mark suffers from narcoleptic blackouts where he either falls asleep or functions in a hypnagogic state between slumber and wakefulness. During these times, he can hallucinate, dream, or unconsciously function. His episodes last minutes or hours. He may remember flashes or nothing at all.
His dreams are often surreal, hinting at reality but obscured by nonsense. Through these hallucinations and visions, Tremblay injects the story with a dose of the absurd. For example, following a therapy exercise in which the group members sketched self-portraits, Mark dreams about his new and capricious friend Gus:
Gus and I are walking down West Broadway, and we are the pictures we drew at the Wellness Center. We’re made of paper and very fragile. Gus is already in pieces. The wind growls and threatens to tear us up. Then I’m not little Jackie Paper anymore, and I wake up on Gus’s couch.
At times, Mark cannot discern his dreams from reality. A definitive unreliable narrator, Mark doubts the credibility of his own memories. At the scene of the arson, Mark recalls helping a trapped boy find his way through the flames. Since he was functioning in a hypnagogic state and no one else corroborates his story, Mark remains unsure of what actually happened. This creates an interesting paradox. A detective actively seeks the truth, yet Mark cannot even trust himself. As he says, “A narcoleptic is the ultimate cynic, left with nothing to believe in, least of all himself, because everything could simply be a dream, and a lousy, meaningless one at that. Have at it, Freud.”
Although the unsolved arson mystery moves the plot along, Tremblay uses his character’s narcolepsy and peculiar hallucinations to explore the complexities of human emotion and self-awareness. The malleability of memory and reality creates a surreal atmosphere. Mark’s dreams and the emotional darkness simmering below his cynicism prompt readers to question the cause of his condition and the accuracy of his narration. What spurs his bizarre delusions? Is there more to Mark than he lets on?
Author China Miéville termed this surreal revamp of hardboiled fiction “Noird” (pronounced nward): a mix of noir and weird. The weirdness has a purpose, however. The strange behaviors of Mark’s mind tie back to his cynicism and loneliness. Did the accident cause his narcolepsy, or is Mark subconsciously hiding from reality?
No Sleep Till Wonderland delivers a fresh take on a classic genre. Readers will wonder “whodunit,” as in any detective novel, but will also uncover the force and consequences of denial and atonement.
Modernizing the archetypal hardboiled detective story, Paul Tremblay mixes surrealism with traditional noir in his novel No Sleep till Wonderland. A conceptual twist on the genre amplifies conventional crime fiction and explores the mysterious power of the human mind.
Tremblay first introduced browbeaten South Boston private investigator Mark Genevich in 2009’s The Little Sleep. Mark is barely scraping by after a botched case and an unrelenting struggle with narcolepsy. His condition annihilates his social life and confidence, landing him in group therapy. There, Mark meets a charismatic new friend who solicits his investigative skills. What begins as a straightforward shadowing job develops into a case of arson—with Mark as a main suspect.
Tremblay draws upon classic noir detective stories, modeling Mark after hardboiled fiction legends Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe. The book employs distinctive elements of crime fiction from the 1920s–1940s with an updated slant. Mark is characteristically cynical—a hard-drinking, cigarette-smoking loner with a sharp wit and unsentimental voice. “It’s too hot, even for mid-July,” he says at one point. “The mercury pushes past ninety degrees even as the sun stuffs its hands in its pockets, turns its back, and walks away for another night. I feel the same way.”
In the vein of classic detective noir, Mark fulfills the man-on-the-street perspective. He’s an average Joe with his own share of baggage, not particularly educated or advantaged. Like his literary forefathers, Mark embarks on a journey into the seedy underworld in the pursuit of answers.
Mark differs from the Spades and Marlowes of crime fiction, however, with the addition of his ailments. He blames a past accident for his physical handicaps and narcolepsy, but it seems to have left Mark emotionally damaged, as well, since he intentionally isolates himself from others but simultaneously longs for connection. Throughout the book, Mark suffers from narcoleptic blackouts where he either falls asleep or functions in a hypnagogic state between slumber and wakefulness. During these times, he can hallucinate, dream, or unconsciously function. His episodes last minutes or hours. He may remember flashes or nothing at all.
His dreams are often surreal, hinting at reality but obscured by nonsense. Through these hallucinations and visions, Tremblay injects the story with a dose of the absurd. For example, following a therapy exercise in which the group members sketched self-portraits, Mark dreams about his new and capricious friend Gus:
Gus and I are walking down West Broadway, and we are the pictures we drew at the Wellness Center. We’re made of paper and very fragile. Gus is already in pieces. The wind growls and threatens to tear us up. Then I’m not little Jackie Paper anymore, and I wake up on Gus’s couch.
At times, Mark cannot discern his dreams from reality. A definitive unreliable narrator, Mark doubts the credibility of his own memories. At the scene of the arson, Mark recalls helping a trapped boy find his way through the flames. Since he was functioning in a hypnagogic state and no one else corroborates his story, Mark remains unsure of what actually happened. This creates an interesting paradox. A detective actively seeks the truth, yet Mark cannot even trust himself. As he says, “A narcoleptic is the ultimate cynic, left with nothing to believe in, least of all himself, because everything could simply be a dream, and a lousy, meaningless one at that. Have at it, Freud.”
Although the unsolved arson mystery moves the plot along, Tremblay uses his character’s narcolepsy and peculiar hallucinations to explore the complexities of human emotion and self-awareness. The malleability of memory and reality creates a surreal atmosphere. Mark’s dreams and the emotional darkness simmering below his cynicism prompt readers to question the cause of his condition and the accuracy of his narration. What spurs his bizarre delusions? Is there more to Mark than he lets on?
Author China Miéville termed this surreal revamp of hardboiled fiction “Noird” (pronounced nward): a mix of noir and weird. The weirdness has a purpose, however. The strange behaviors of Mark’s mind tie back to his cynicism and loneliness. Did the accident cause his narcolepsy, or is Mark subconsciously hiding from reality?
No Sleep Till Wonderland delivers a fresh take on a classic genre. Readers will wonder “whodunit,” as in any detective novel, but will also uncover the force and consequences of denial and atonement.
August 9, 2021
a fun read . the noir language is a bit strained at times, but the plot is interesting and the protagonist is one of a kind. A whole new adventure in the unreliable narrator field, as , due to his narcolepsy, the detective is often unsure of what happened , are things true or hallucinations, what has he told the police, what have others told him.
August 28, 2016
Like being trapped at a party by a bore.
I mean, you'd rather not have this guy--of course it's a guy--rattling on. But at least your at a party! There's chips; there's beer.
I've been reading Tremblay's novels in reverse order, which is always questionable. I can see some the same themes recurring, of course, and the development of certain techniques. He uses these to great effect in his most recent two novels. This, his second novel, not so much: it's still a work in progress.
As I understand it, this is the second book in a possible series, both following the detective Mark Genevich. The first book, The Little Sleep, let's us know we are working in the tradition of Raymond Chandler: hard boiled, snarky. But this is definitely not pure noir. Genevich has a quirk--as all contemporary characters must: he is a private detective with uncontrolled narcolepsy.
The problem is, that's as far as the investigation of his character goes, really: a PI with narcolepsy. He falls asleep a lot. It's uncontrolled, so he covers his embarrassment with jokes. Lots and lots of jokes. The story is told from the first person, so the reader spends a lot of time in Genevich's head, and it's not exactly the most interesting of places. In fact, it gets grating for long stretches of time, his continual need to make bad jokes then admit that they were bad. I understand that we are supposed to understand he's defensive, his development retarded--but over the course of even this relatively slim book, it's tiring to be with him all the time.
Chandler's Philip Marlowe made frequent comments about the furniture in the rooms he investigated; more generally, noir detectives usually comment on the social world around them--Poisonville and what have you. There's very little of that here. Genevich is working in a working-class section of Boston, Southie, but there's no sense of the environment, and the other characters do not really even rise to the level of stereotype, with maybe two exceptions. Tremblay does offer a few trenchant observations, but these are mostly lost.
In his later works, this extreme sophism works to his advantage, as he plumbs the life of that most narcissistic of species, American preteens. Here, it is limiting, not allowing Tremblay an obvious range and forcing the reader to similarly have a really stunted view.
There are advantages to the tricks. Tremblay is playing around with the unreliable narration that he will put to effective use in his later books, and Genevich's slipping into and out of sleep (and hallucinogenic dreams) allows Tremblay to keep the reader on uneven ground.
The central mystery, though, isn't really all that interesting--not worth the pyrotechnic techniques--and Genevich is a very passive protagonist, to the very end--so again we feel as though we're at that party, and stuff is happening to us, stuff we cannot control or stop. Nor is Tremblay in as fine as control of his material here as in later books--some scenes extend for no obvious reason. (There's also some typographical mistakes that can throw the reader out of the story--"break" instead of "brake," at a critical instant, for example.) The prose is a bit uneven.
Still, he is a talented writer, and once the story engages, about half way through, it's a fun ride. He wraps up his loose ends, and avoids a single long info dump at the end to explain everything.
The promise is there.
I mean, you'd rather not have this guy--of course it's a guy--rattling on. But at least your at a party! There's chips; there's beer.
I've been reading Tremblay's novels in reverse order, which is always questionable. I can see some the same themes recurring, of course, and the development of certain techniques. He uses these to great effect in his most recent two novels. This, his second novel, not so much: it's still a work in progress.
As I understand it, this is the second book in a possible series, both following the detective Mark Genevich. The first book, The Little Sleep, let's us know we are working in the tradition of Raymond Chandler: hard boiled, snarky. But this is definitely not pure noir. Genevich has a quirk--as all contemporary characters must: he is a private detective with uncontrolled narcolepsy.
The problem is, that's as far as the investigation of his character goes, really: a PI with narcolepsy. He falls asleep a lot. It's uncontrolled, so he covers his embarrassment with jokes. Lots and lots of jokes. The story is told from the first person, so the reader spends a lot of time in Genevich's head, and it's not exactly the most interesting of places. In fact, it gets grating for long stretches of time, his continual need to make bad jokes then admit that they were bad. I understand that we are supposed to understand he's defensive, his development retarded--but over the course of even this relatively slim book, it's tiring to be with him all the time.
Chandler's Philip Marlowe made frequent comments about the furniture in the rooms he investigated; more generally, noir detectives usually comment on the social world around them--Poisonville and what have you. There's very little of that here. Genevich is working in a working-class section of Boston, Southie, but there's no sense of the environment, and the other characters do not really even rise to the level of stereotype, with maybe two exceptions. Tremblay does offer a few trenchant observations, but these are mostly lost.
In his later works, this extreme sophism works to his advantage, as he plumbs the life of that most narcissistic of species, American preteens. Here, it is limiting, not allowing Tremblay an obvious range and forcing the reader to similarly have a really stunted view.
There are advantages to the tricks. Tremblay is playing around with the unreliable narration that he will put to effective use in his later books, and Genevich's slipping into and out of sleep (and hallucinogenic dreams) allows Tremblay to keep the reader on uneven ground.
The central mystery, though, isn't really all that interesting--not worth the pyrotechnic techniques--and Genevich is a very passive protagonist, to the very end--so again we feel as though we're at that party, and stuff is happening to us, stuff we cannot control or stop. Nor is Tremblay in as fine as control of his material here as in later books--some scenes extend for no obvious reason. (There's also some typographical mistakes that can throw the reader out of the story--"break" instead of "brake," at a critical instant, for example.) The prose is a bit uneven.
Still, he is a talented writer, and once the story engages, about half way through, it's a fun ride. He wraps up his loose ends, and avoids a single long info dump at the end to explain everything.
The promise is there.
June 7, 2022
The novel is just as sleek and humorous as the first. Unfortunately, the narcoleptic PI gimmick gets a tad old and Mr. Genevich overstays his welcome in hotel Du Max’s Brainmatter; “that’ll be about $250 in overcharge fees Mr. Tremblay, si vous plait.”
I’m happy I read this series as Tremblay is one of my favourite writers of all time and his stylized take on the detective novel was a treat to read. I’m also happy; however, that the series has come to an end as it was getting quite repetitive near the conclusion.
Overall, No Sleep still Wonderland was just okay. Giving this one three gun-lighters out of five. Ka Pow!
I’m happy I read this series as Tremblay is one of my favourite writers of all time and his stylized take on the detective novel was a treat to read. I’m also happy; however, that the series has come to an end as it was getting quite repetitive near the conclusion.
Overall, No Sleep still Wonderland was just okay. Giving this one three gun-lighters out of five. Ka Pow!
June 22, 2013
While still entertaining, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. The conflicts between characters were never really clear - even at the end. The 'bad guy' of the story only makes a real appearance in one short scene and his personality is paper thin. The biggest problem though is that nothing's actually on the line for the protagonist. The problems are all other people's problems, and he has literally no personal stake in the case. He doesn't lose anything by not solving it - and it's never entirely clear what there is to solve.
All that being said, Tremblay's prose is consistently readable. There are a few two many cliches and clumsy grabs at clever wordplay, but every now at then there is a lucid tidbit of staggering wisdom.
Two and a half stars.
All that being said, Tremblay's prose is consistently readable. There are a few two many cliches and clumsy grabs at clever wordplay, but every now at then there is a lucid tidbit of staggering wisdom.
Two and a half stars.
March 9, 2013
A decent story and good use of language. Two things distracted me and forced me to give it a lower rating.
1. The narrator is a smart-ass and a comparison freak. WAY too many metaphors and similes, over-used and sometimes they lasted for multiple sentences. One that sticks out: "We creeped up I street like a couple of creeps." Yeah...
2. I spent the first 100 pages trying to figure out if the two main characters were romantically interested in one-another. Then, when one of them expressed some interest elsewhere and one of the main characters weren't mentioned for a while I lost that feeling. But later on, it returned. I just felt like one or two sentences expressing the relationship between Gus and Mark could have relieved some of my confusion...
1. The narrator is a smart-ass and a comparison freak. WAY too many metaphors and similes, over-used and sometimes they lasted for multiple sentences. One that sticks out: "We creeped up I street like a couple of creeps." Yeah...
2. I spent the first 100 pages trying to figure out if the two main characters were romantically interested in one-another. Then, when one of them expressed some interest elsewhere and one of the main characters weren't mentioned for a while I lost that feeling. But later on, it returned. I just felt like one or two sentences expressing the relationship between Gus and Mark could have relieved some of my confusion...
November 28, 2010
What do you do when you're a narcoleptic detective and a friend of yours takes you on a two-day bender, and then asks you for a favour.
Pretty dark but quite funny at times, though the "hard-boiled" detective wit is a bit forced at times.
Weirdly has some remnants of Jonathan Lethem for me, but not sure why.
Pretty dark but quite funny at times, though the "hard-boiled" detective wit is a bit forced at times.
Weirdly has some remnants of Jonathan Lethem for me, but not sure why.
June 18, 2021
I did this and The Little Sleep together and loved them both. Noir mystery fiction isn't usually something I read, but I loved the inner monologue and dialogue of Genevich in these stories, and as ever Tremblay's writing shines through as something that I struggle to put down.
September 27, 2009
A detective story that is the perfect cross between Kafka and Chandler. Crazy, scary, and flat out fun.
February 4, 2021
3 Stars!
When I picked up a copy of No Sleep Till Wonderland by Paul Tremblay, I have to admit that I had made a mistake. It was not a mistake to pick up this book. It could be a very good book. But I have to admit that I mistook the author for a different author I had not read in a while and realized this as I started the novel. That being said, there is nothing wrong with reading someone new so I was hoping to find a story that would capture my imagination.
Nothing is coming easy for Mark Genevich. He is being forced to attend therapy session for his narcolepsy in order to keep a roof above his head and his private detective business barely running. Even worse, he not only dislikes the therapy sessions but they are not working and his narcolepsy is getting no better. When he meets Gus, he seems to have found a sympathetic friend and the two bond over a couple alcohol-fueled days. Then Gus asks for what seems a simple favor: just keep an eye on a friend who is being pursued by an overenthusiastic suitor. It seemed simple at first glance. It would soon lead to murder.
When the evenings surveillance leads Mark to an apartment building on fire, he leaps into action to try to help out. Unfortunately, his narcolepsy kicks in leaving him without much memory of the events and a suspect in a police investigation. The plot thickens around him leaving his head spinning as he is approached on all sides by people that seem to have different angles into the strange events. When all is said and done, Mark learns that all was definitely not what it seems and he finds himself set up to take the fall for a murder he did not commit and that is only if he can make it out alive.
I did experience some confusion at the beginning of this novel as I did not realize that it was a sequel. This did lead me to miss some of the context for the novel and maybe not get as deep an understanding of the characters as I would have if I read the first novel. I do not know, though, that it is absolutely necessary to read the first. The writing is slick and it was easy to get into the flow of the story. I did feel as if I was missing something in Mark’s character but not enough to ruin the story. I could catch up with a lot of it as the story progressed and it only made the first pages a little clunky due to no fault of the author. Once I settled in, the book became a quick read that just kind of swept me through the narrative until the end.
There is something to be said for slick prose and a story that races by. This certain describes No Sleep Till Wonderland. I was through the story before I knew it. The problem, though, is that the book was too shallow for it to really drive me in. Instead of becoming invested in the story, I just kind of watched it flow by. There were things that were certainly interesting but nothing that really reached out to grab me. I also found the characters, including Mark, to be a little shallow and his narcolepsy almost became a crutch as the story went on as it seemed more of a way to cop-out of a tough situation than a real ailment for the character. I enjoyed the book but I also wish that it could have been much more. And I really think it had the potential to be so if the writer had chosen to dig in and fill the story out. As it stands, No Sleep Till Wonderland is a diversion for a couple hours that provides some entertainment but falls short of achieving all it was capable of achieving.
I would like to thank William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for this review copy. No Sleep Till Wonderland is scheduled to be released April 20, 2021.
When I picked up a copy of No Sleep Till Wonderland by Paul Tremblay, I have to admit that I had made a mistake. It was not a mistake to pick up this book. It could be a very good book. But I have to admit that I mistook the author for a different author I had not read in a while and realized this as I started the novel. That being said, there is nothing wrong with reading someone new so I was hoping to find a story that would capture my imagination.
Nothing is coming easy for Mark Genevich. He is being forced to attend therapy session for his narcolepsy in order to keep a roof above his head and his private detective business barely running. Even worse, he not only dislikes the therapy sessions but they are not working and his narcolepsy is getting no better. When he meets Gus, he seems to have found a sympathetic friend and the two bond over a couple alcohol-fueled days. Then Gus asks for what seems a simple favor: just keep an eye on a friend who is being pursued by an overenthusiastic suitor. It seemed simple at first glance. It would soon lead to murder.
When the evenings surveillance leads Mark to an apartment building on fire, he leaps into action to try to help out. Unfortunately, his narcolepsy kicks in leaving him without much memory of the events and a suspect in a police investigation. The plot thickens around him leaving his head spinning as he is approached on all sides by people that seem to have different angles into the strange events. When all is said and done, Mark learns that all was definitely not what it seems and he finds himself set up to take the fall for a murder he did not commit and that is only if he can make it out alive.
I did experience some confusion at the beginning of this novel as I did not realize that it was a sequel. This did lead me to miss some of the context for the novel and maybe not get as deep an understanding of the characters as I would have if I read the first novel. I do not know, though, that it is absolutely necessary to read the first. The writing is slick and it was easy to get into the flow of the story. I did feel as if I was missing something in Mark’s character but not enough to ruin the story. I could catch up with a lot of it as the story progressed and it only made the first pages a little clunky due to no fault of the author. Once I settled in, the book became a quick read that just kind of swept me through the narrative until the end.
There is something to be said for slick prose and a story that races by. This certain describes No Sleep Till Wonderland. I was through the story before I knew it. The problem, though, is that the book was too shallow for it to really drive me in. Instead of becoming invested in the story, I just kind of watched it flow by. There were things that were certainly interesting but nothing that really reached out to grab me. I also found the characters, including Mark, to be a little shallow and his narcolepsy almost became a crutch as the story went on as it seemed more of a way to cop-out of a tough situation than a real ailment for the character. I enjoyed the book but I also wish that it could have been much more. And I really think it had the potential to be so if the writer had chosen to dig in and fill the story out. As it stands, No Sleep Till Wonderland is a diversion for a couple hours that provides some entertainment but falls short of achieving all it was capable of achieving.
I would like to thank William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for this review copy. No Sleep Till Wonderland is scheduled to be released April 20, 2021.
September 27, 2024
Private investigator Mark Genevich is struggling with his narcolepsy; at any moment, he could fall asleep, only to wake up hours later, his mind, mouth and body moving on autopilot in the mean time. He can't trust anyone, including his own actions. A friend hires him to watch over a woman who is being stalked, but Mark soon realizes that something bigger is going on, something that may threaten his own life and others.
It took me a long time to get into this book. It's very genre-laden and tropey, and Mark's ironic self-detachment makes him a steady stream of Marlowe-like one liners. Frankly, I found it kind of offputting for a long while, but once I got into the flow, I started to have a lot of sympathy for him, and got invested in the case at large. The high concept really sits well me, as it sits at such clear, explicit odds with the genre. At their extremes, detective stories tend towards hard boiled machismo that feature tough men in tough situations (the noir) or bespoke puzzle boxes that require intense attention to clues. Mark's state of being means that he is pretty much an utter failure at both of those ends, as he can't trust on himself or his body to be fully under control and present at any moment. I found the contrast there pretty compelling. It's a little bit of a deconstruction of the genre. It's not as shattering as Paul Aster's City of Glass, which tears apart the idea of knowing in general, but it looks into what happens if the protagonist becomes uncertain of their own being--it's ontological over epistemological. (Maybe--I'm not 100% committed to that.) Granted, this isn't exactly a new take on the genre either. The trope of the detective who is falling apart mentally and physically and stumbles into being the person suited for the case at hand is also fairly common. (There are some interesting parallels with Mark and the amnesiac protagonist of Disco Elysium, for example.) But Tremblay carries it off very nicely, if you're willing to give in to his rhythms. I think the story ended well; Mark doesn't get the over idealistic possibility he opened himself up for at one point, but he comes to a place that has some meaning and pathos. All in all, I wound up enjoying it, after getting past a fairly big hump.
It took me a long time to get into this book. It's very genre-laden and tropey, and Mark's ironic self-detachment makes him a steady stream of Marlowe-like one liners. Frankly, I found it kind of offputting for a long while, but once I got into the flow, I started to have a lot of sympathy for him, and got invested in the case at large. The high concept really sits well me, as it sits at such clear, explicit odds with the genre. At their extremes, detective stories tend towards hard boiled machismo that feature tough men in tough situations (the noir) or bespoke puzzle boxes that require intense attention to clues. Mark's state of being means that he is pretty much an utter failure at both of those ends, as he can't trust on himself or his body to be fully under control and present at any moment. I found the contrast there pretty compelling. It's a little bit of a deconstruction of the genre. It's not as shattering as Paul Aster's City of Glass, which tears apart the idea of knowing in general, but it looks into what happens if the protagonist becomes uncertain of their own being--it's ontological over epistemological. (Maybe--I'm not 100% committed to that.) Granted, this isn't exactly a new take on the genre either. The trope of the detective who is falling apart mentally and physically and stumbles into being the person suited for the case at hand is also fairly common. (There are some interesting parallels with Mark and the amnesiac protagonist of Disco Elysium, for example.) But Tremblay carries it off very nicely, if you're willing to give in to his rhythms. I think the story ended well; Mark doesn't get the over idealistic possibility he opened himself up for at one point, but he comes to a place that has some meaning and pathos. All in all, I wound up enjoying it, after getting past a fairly big hump.
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