Review: The real deal in existential noir.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2013
You will often hear the phrase "existential noir" referring to hardboiled writers that think way too highly about themselves and compare their books favorably to Albert Camus. But if you really want to know what an existential noir book is like, you have to read Aaron Philip Clark's Paul Little books.Given that I was already familiar with the recurring character and sympathetic to his longings, A HEALTHY FEAR OF MAN completely redefined my relationship to the character. This time, Paul isn't looking to flee a world that has passed him by and became toxic to him. It's even better. He is put in front of a dilemma that will force him to take a stance about what kind of man he is.Aaron Philip Clark's prose is simply remarkable. It has that emergency to it, that makes you feel like you're doing something important by reading him and now that I'm done I'm still convince that I did do something important. I literally read the last third in one sitting. I could not pry myself away.