Review: Edgy, gritty and a great read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2014
Please read my full review on the Smoocher's Voice blog.There is something about Jordan Castillo Price’s writing that is so intriguing and addictive. Price is one of those authors whose plots and characters stick with a reader long after the book has been closed. It is hard to pin down her writing style: science fiction, fantasy, romance. Her eloquent writing contains a bit of grit, realism, satire and even humor thrown in. Each book Price pens teems with edginess.  Meatworks is edgy, gritty and, at times, a bit bizarre. This is not a typical romance.It is no secret that our lives depend a lot on technology: cell phones, computers, video cameras, GPS tracking. In Desmond Poole’s world, robots have taken the place of all of these contraptions. Price has tweaked history a bit and created an alternate universe where there is no escaping robots, their help and their intrusiveness.  The problem is that Desmond does not like robots. His dislike seems to go back to before his accident.Desmond doesn’t have a housebot. He does have pet Sea-Monkeys, a 30-year-old television set, a couch older than the television, a 1978 Gremlin and plenty of vodka. The last time he got laid was seven months ago, right before his accident, and since that time, he has been trying to heal, cashing his government checks and drinking … lots and lots of drinking.When readers meet Desmond, he is scared, scarred and self-destructive. Seven months ago, Desmond lost his hand in an accident at a warehouse involving a robot. At the beginning of the book, he does not remember the details, much to his new therapy group leader’s chagrin.In typical Price style, this book has multiple layers, and as the reader peels off each layer, he or she becomes more invested in the characters and more conflicted about them. And there certainly is a lot to be conflicted about.Desmond, Corey and James are not heroic characters. They are flawed, damaged and, at some points, very unlikeable. And, yet Price forces readers to care about these men and their futures. It is difficult not to feel compassion for Desmond, even though, he is not a very sympathetic character. He needs redemption though. Desmond and Jim both need redemption and closure. Jim cares about Desmond, but he cannot handle Desmond’s self- destructiveness. Their relationship creates conflicted feelings within the reader.Despite the harshness and bareness of this world, Price’s descriptive prose are beautifully written. Price presents the alternate reality as technological advanced, yet still stark and barren.  The dialogue is wonderfully written, and helps the reader understand the characters on a deeper level. Price has written an impressive story that leaves the reader a bit emotionally drained and still wanting more when the words stop.