What do you think?
Rate this book
Rat
The dirty streets of 1980s Baltimore offer the perfect environment for a lost young man to sniff out his own domain and build a nest. But when that man is convinced there’s little good about him, life becomes a frustrating exercise.
Conrad, as everyone calls him, has settled into a solitary routine of working as a book acquisitions editor for a small publishing company and spending his free time alone in his apartment, reading magazine articles and dreaming about a world he doesn’t belong to. Still fighting against isolation and his own rat-like tendencies, Conrad struggles between what he’s sure is his true nature and the good person he longs to be.
Then he meets Calypso, the beautiful young woman who cares for the plants in his office. Although he can’t imagine what she could possibly see in him, he wants her like crazy. But there’s something about the headstrong Calypso that intrigues him beyond carnal knowledge. Could she be his ticket to something like happiness?
A whirlwind relationship lands Conrad right where he thought he wanted to be…until Calypso’s secrets are revealed, throwing Conrad’s plans for redemption into chaos. Is it possible that Calypso is as ratty as he? And if so, can two rats make a good life together, or are they destined to drag one another back into the gutter?
Conrad, as everyone calls him, has settled into a solitary routine of working as a book acquisitions editor for a small publishing company and spending his free time alone in his apartment, reading magazine articles and dreaming about a world he doesn’t belong to. Still fighting against isolation and his own rat-like tendencies, Conrad struggles between what he’s sure is his true nature and the good person he longs to be.
Then he meets Calypso, the beautiful young woman who cares for the plants in his office. Although he can’t imagine what she could possibly see in him, he wants her like crazy. But there’s something about the headstrong Calypso that intrigues him beyond carnal knowledge. Could she be his ticket to something like happiness?
A whirlwind relationship lands Conrad right where he thought he wanted to be…until Calypso’s secrets are revealed, throwing Conrad’s plans for redemption into chaos. Is it possible that Calypso is as ratty as he? And if so, can two rats make a good life together, or are they destined to drag one another back into the gutter?
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 6, 2022
19 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2022
This is the type of book you'll either love adamantly or despise. I loved it. The writing is good, although it has a stream-of-consciousness flavor to it that might not be for everyone. It's hilarious at points, dark at others, but throughout you get a glimpse into the psyche of the main character, "Rat," that's wholly original in a neurotic way. Weird, but thoroughly enjoyable.
July 23, 2023
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Rat
Author: Kevin Lavey
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
14 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“I enjoyed this book very much. I think it’s the originality of the plot which grabbed me; how the protagonist is so much of a rat! Very clever.” Male reader, aged 55
“Conrad is a character I felt sorry for. I loved the twist in the story and the author’s humour. A very enjoyable character-led novel I’d recommend to others.” Female reader, aged 38
“Thought-provoking, funny, not overly long. I spent an enjoyable afternoon with this book. The author is a strong writer who knows his two characters well. I will be keeping an eye open for other books by him.” Male reader, aged 39
“Although this is in many ways a thought-provoking novel, the author also keeps things light with a lots of humorous/comical moments.” Male reader, aged 70
To Sum It Up:
‘A character-led gem, highly original and with plenty of humour. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Rat
Author: Kevin Lavey
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 9/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
14 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 7 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
14 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“I enjoyed this book very much. I think it’s the originality of the plot which grabbed me; how the protagonist is so much of a rat! Very clever.” Male reader, aged 55
“Conrad is a character I felt sorry for. I loved the twist in the story and the author’s humour. A very enjoyable character-led novel I’d recommend to others.” Female reader, aged 38
“Thought-provoking, funny, not overly long. I spent an enjoyable afternoon with this book. The author is a strong writer who knows his two characters well. I will be keeping an eye open for other books by him.” Male reader, aged 39
“Although this is in many ways a thought-provoking novel, the author also keeps things light with a lots of humorous/comical moments.” Male reader, aged 70
To Sum It Up:
‘A character-led gem, highly original and with plenty of humour. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
May 15, 2022
I couldn’t get into this book at all. I wasn’t drawn into the story as it is a writing style I’m not excited about. And Conrad wasn’t a character I particularly enjoyed. I had high hopes as all the reviews I had read were super positive.
Yes, you get the greater picture of Conrad’s life, and everything eventually ties together as the book comes to an end. But all the jumping around made me feel like an outsider looking through a very foggy window instead of sitting cozily inside with them. I understand Conrad is trying to overcome his past and break free from his “rattiness,” but I didn’t relate enough with his character to care about what happened in his life.
Was this meant to be a love story? Or a story of redemption? I guess a little bit of both.
I made it to the end. At least there’s a plus side there. Unfortunately, I think this was my least favorite book I have read all year.
The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Yes, you get the greater picture of Conrad’s life, and everything eventually ties together as the book comes to an end. But all the jumping around made me feel like an outsider looking through a very foggy window instead of sitting cozily inside with them. I understand Conrad is trying to overcome his past and break free from his “rattiness,” but I didn’t relate enough with his character to care about what happened in his life.
Was this meant to be a love story? Or a story of redemption? I guess a little bit of both.
I made it to the end. At least there’s a plus side there. Unfortunately, I think this was my least favorite book I have read all year.
The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2022
This is a good book for people who like character studies with no real plot. It gave me a similar feel to Diary of an Oxygen Thief, and had the plain language and nihilism found in The Stranger by Camus. There were moments that seemed trapped too long in flashback and made me forget what was going on in the “present”, and the ending felt a bit rushed and meh, but overall I really enjoyed this read.
September 20, 2022
RAT isn't going to be for everyone. If you only read genre fiction, this book probably won't appeal to you. But if you find yourself drawn to books from the 60s and 70s and longing for that type of far-out prose and mechanics from a modern writer, get yourself a copy of RAT and enjoy.
Darkly funny, wholly weird. Is it over the top at times? Sure. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely.
Darkly funny, wholly weird. Is it over the top at times? Sure. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely.
May 24, 2022
Rat out
I can't believe I read this crazy book. What was the point?? If you are listening, don't bother wasting your time
I can't believe I read this crazy book. What was the point?? If you are listening, don't bother wasting your time
Want to read
November 13, 2022 I've received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, for review consideration.
RTC
RTC
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews