Leo Rache.

by Pablo D'Stair

More information and an excerpt from this short book can be found by visiting the website of the monthly short fiction publication 'Current Perspectives in Counting to Ten'. Free copies are available on request.

Genres: Fiction

66 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2010

About the author

Pablo D'Stair is a novelist, filmmaker, essayist, interviewer, comic book artist, and independent publisher. His work has appeared in various mediums for the past 15 years, often pseudonymously.

Reviews

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

D'Stair is a tease. He gives us snippets of a character's life. His work is unique; a statement in human behavior with no obvious conclusion.

Leo Rache is a departure from D'Stair's other work in that Leo, the main character, does not spiral into a deviant mess. However, D'Stair's literary brilliance remains. We're allowed into Leo Rache's world, we experience his emotions, think his thoughts. But the journey is brief and ends nowhere in particular. For some readers, that might be unacceptable. For those of us who follow D'Stair, it's what we've come to expect and appreciate.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo Rache (Pablo D'Stair)
Fascinating short story about Leo Rache, a young poet. Quick read delving into the life of a young poet. Follow Leo into his world and ordinary daily life. Unique characters, interesting scenarios, well written. I look forward to the next book by Mr. D'Stair.

[Printable Tire]

I think I won a free goodreads copy of this to review like 10 years ago but never got around to reading it until recently. Woops!

I'm usually never one to pay attention to the marketing tropes of publishing (sci-fi vs western, etc.) but this book sits squarely in "literary fiction," as it's stereotypical of that genre. Brooding, outcast pretty boy poet tortures himself for presumably his own vanity. Sorta like Hunger fan fiction. A thoroughly pretentious and not altogether likable protagonist, but nonetheless a short and quasi-enjoyable read, if you're into the vicarious pleasures of that fantasy genre, "literary fiction."

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo Rache is a young poet. We get to follow him very well writteninto his ordinary daily life and into his world. We experience his emotions , see what he see,s. Very well written . A fascinating quick read. I can,t wait to read more books by Pablo

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting short read from D'Stair, who brings us a character study of, Leo, hopelessly in love with a girl called Lea and writing poems for her despite the fact he doesn't read anything and lives many miles away from her. We follow Leo in his daily life as he writes his poems, carries out petty thefts and conducts strange relationships with women that aren't Lea.

There's definitely some Trevor English DNA within Leo, but they are also contradictions in that Leo is driven by his love for Lea and squanders his money almost frivolously even in a crisis. I'm not sure if this one was an exercise as it doesn't seem fully formed, but display D'Stair's character writing abilities well.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t feel like hiding under the covers or chain-smoking or having a paranoid vodka drinking session after reading this, so that right there deserves a star. Also, I have more notebooks and pens than I know what to do with and I certainly wouldn’t go stealing them to write poems to a silly boy (keeping in mind that I actually have stolen a notebook and pens when I was much younger, and I did indeed write poems about silly boys, though I never mailed them evidence of this, unless you count song lyrics, to an ex in Knoxville).
So, Leo Rache is yet another nicotine addicted fellow with an awesome name. I feel like I found an un-marked dvd and upon popping it in the player was given an interesting glimpse into this half-loseryish dude’s semi-obsession, which oddly concludes with a sense of perverse accomplishment. It’s a shorter story, read in a day, well evening really. I only took breaks to set it down to watch attractive guys try not to fall into water on American Ninja Warrior.
One thing I’d like to point out is that this is entirely in Leo’s perspective, and I wish I could have seen a little bit from some of the other characters. For example, if there’s a story called Blake Darby, I’d actually like to read that for some reason.
I’m really happy I remembered I had this on my bookshelf though; it was free from the author and made for an entertaining read!

[Julie Dolcemaschio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo Rache is a young wastrel who thinks himself a poet. He's in love with Lea, whom we don't know at all until the end. He steals notebooks and pens from stationary stores and writes poetry for her that seems to go no further than the stolen pages they are written on. He spends most of his time smoking pot and drinking, when he's not sitting in a cafe trying to ignore Vera, who sees something worthwhile in this ne'er-do-well. Due to a series of unfortunate events that the reader hopes will turn this guy's life around, but ultimately sends him further down the rabbit hole, he finally meets up with his muse in an interesting ending that nevertheless left me feeling like I wanted more.

Again, D'Stair's sparse style is not for everyone. I, as a reader, enjoy the payoff, and you don't always get it with Pablo. Nevertheless, his is a literary style that makes you think. The story and the characters stick with you for all the wrong reasons, forcing the reader to wonder 'what if'. A writer who can do that is to be respected.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the fourth book I have read by Pablo. I must enjoy his style to keep doing so! He has a unique perspective in his stories of going through each day sometimes in microscopic detail, with his main characters.

This short story has that same unique view without the more bass elements in his thriller books. This deals with a man's obsession of a woman that expresses itself through his stealing of notebooks to write poetry about her. I really enjoyed the end of this book, which I won't divulge, but it's reminiscent of one of my favorite foreign films, "The Pillow Book."

While Pablo draws one completely into the main character's world, I am often left wondering "why," a lot of the times. I am not always a fan of minute descriptions in detail, unless they move the story along. And I still sometimes find myself wanting to skip over all the mundane details.

However, that said, Pablo definitely has a unique voice in his works and that is not easy to do.

[K aren · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is about Leo, just another adult that seems to have no real purpose in his life. He starts writing poetry for Lea, spends his time at the cafe contemplating, and smokes while systematically stealing stationary and pens.

It's a very short read, at under 100 pages. The novel is told in sparse, concise language and it has a somewhat deeper weight behind it. The passages are short, but you certainly don't feel that way - even though you know very little about the plot or story, you feel the atmosphere behind the lines.

Quite frankly, I don't know what to make of this novel. The ending, really didn't satisfy me, and to me the novel seemed, almost pointless. I didn't understand what D'stair wrote this novel for, and why it ended the way it did.

I received this book via Goodreads First Reads.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I didn't exactly dislike this quick ditty of a novel, it seems like a story of at least 100 people I personally know, if I found my own life and friends that fascinating I wouldn't read to escape it. Multiply that by everyone in the world and you get a math equation I surely don't know the answer to - it may have helped if I hadn't gotten tossed out of junior year calculus so much I'd bet.

Moving on from my mathlete status, Leo is damn near every "I'm not lazy, I'm an artist" schlub I know. Don't get me wrong... I too have an inner Yeats, taichosky and hopper, but that ish don't pay my rent. Nor does hanging around women that use me for money. (wait isnt that ALL women in general?!)

All I know Leo is that you need to get your life in check and do like they say in the 'gin & juice' video: "snoop doggy dog you needs to get yo'self a jobby job"

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella, at first, seemed a waste of time to me, then, on continuing, I discovered what great artistry by the author. I am an admirer of restraint and unnoticeable control in writing, versus wordy clutter, and that is D'Stair's artistry. This does not contain the elements of writing from exposition, rising action, climax/denouement, falling action, and conclusion. There are none of those present. Just the droning empty existence of a 21st. century life that has no goals or meaning in our secular society. D'Stair wants to give his books away free (yes, free), and he wants to read aclaim about his effort, so please, readers, go to his website and others about him and find out how to receive his books like I did. Now that is an artist! Pablo, I hope you are reading this.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read about ten pages one day. And the rest the next day. I highly recommend reading it within a few days, as the way it is written, with vignettes that are chronologically laid out but not necessarily there to explain everything (not that everything needs to be explained, in fact, it is clear that a lot can go on without any explanation) become too disjointed if spread over too long a time period. Characters that populate the story are real, and it is hard to understand their logic in what they choose to do or not do, but at the same time, everything seems very natural, understandable, familiar. I suppose almost everyone can relate to the dysfunction called life.

[Rene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in an hour. I thought that it was well written but so much like Brett Easton Ellis' writing. The book is about a young potential poet named Leo who writes poetry in notebooks which he steals. He is emotionally attahed to an old girlfriend Lea and writes her poems constantly. He smokes pot and drinks wine until he's drunk and smokes cigarettes constantly. The book was enjoyable nonetheless. I would have expected a more complete writing as I thought a great deal was left to one's imagination.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author and was very excited he sent it for free.

I love the writing style of this book. There is something about being inside someone else's mind and world that intrigues me. I am drawn in and want to finish as soon as I start reading.

There are also a lot of lose ends in the book. You can either despise the book because of it or embrace it, and finish the story yourself. The book is very easy to follow stays on track and makes you want a part 2!

[Liza Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free from GoodReads Givaways. This is the first piece I've read by D'Stair, and despite the fact I'm not big on short-stories, I liked it. It's a fast, yet enjoyable read, taking us into the life of the main character and the three women who are currently involved in his life. There is no definite hubris, climax, or conclusion, but Leo is an interesting character nonetheless.

[Vika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to thank Pablo D'Stair for sending me a free copy.
I didn't exactly see a point in this book.. It was about Leo, who is a poet.. and his everyday life. Found it kinda boring... All he does is smoke, steals notebooks and pens (and gets caught.. everytime!) and writes poems.. which I didn't even get to read, because [Leo] doesn't read his own poems.. or anyone else's.

[Robert Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leo Rache is a frustrating poet. He is self absorbed, selfish, generous, cold, distant, lazy and moody. He is difficult to care about, yet not totaly unlikable.

One complaint...the pages are printed with a tint, making the pages look grey...difficult on the eyes.