Review: Not for Me
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 10, 2013
I'm sorry to say that this novella just wasn't for me. It's very well written, but it read as a fantastically surreal story, with a series events that I just couldn't fathom as being "real." From the circumstances surrounding the drugs to the time the characters spend in jail, as well as all the other fantastical events within, I just didn't see much of the story as being plausible. Which is okay. No one said the events have to be true-to-life, or full of drama, but that was my expectation going into this novella. I was thinking this would be a road trip story about redemption, a serious story with events that bring about change, but in reality, this novella is more like a mash up of crazy events, yelling, fights, hatred, and sheer stupidity on the characters' parts. I also had a very difficult time connecting with the characters, which I think feeds in to another reason why I didn't care much for this novella. If I had Dale's family, I wouldn't have gone to the "funeral" at all. Now, I know he's just as much to blame for the problems within the family as the others, but I wouldn't want to deal with his brothers if it was the last thing I had to do. As the novella unfolded, I began to dislike Dale's family a lot, and I even began to like Dale less and less because, in my opinion, none of the characters were likable. I found them all to be quite selfish and unreliable. And, the youngest brother, the one who was high all the time, just grated on my nerves. I think this would be a good, quick read for an audience that finds drug hazed characters and family drama fun(ny), but it's just not my style.