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Choke: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk (eBook) on sale for
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Available:About this title:
Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times. Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be "saved" by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor's life, go on to send checks to support him. When he's not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park. His creator, Chuck Palahniuk, is the visionary we need and the satirist we deserve.
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I understand why the synopsis makes the book's plot sound "childish"—because that is the literal point of the premise. It is insane. Absolutely absurd. However, if you are familiar with the author's writing, you recognize the absurdity is intentional.
It's a great synopsis that fits perfectly with the author's style, but it becomes a terrible synopsis if you aren't familiar with that context.
Can we all chill and just agree to "each their own"? Either recommend the book for its deeper subtext or simply say, "Thanks, but I'll pass."
I understand why the synopsis makes the book's plot sound "childish"—because that is the literal point of the premise. It is insane. Absolutely absurd. However, if you are familiar with the author's writing, you recognize the absurdity is intentional.
It's a great synopsis that fits perfectly with the author's style, but it becomes a terrible synopsis if you aren't familiar with that context.
Can we all chill and just agree to "each their own"? Either recommend the book for its deeper subtext or simply say, "Thanks, but I'll pass."
Opinions for, or against, something are perfectly fine. It's just how you feel on a topic. If someone disagrees, they can do so, but on both sides, it should be done with some tact. That didn't happen here. Personal attacks are where a line should be drawn, and if you look at everything I've posted here, I've never attacked anyone and was only addressing someone's mischaracterization of me and what I posted.
I said above that suggesting that I'm partly wrong is a problem, and the reason for that is that you are putting it into a greater context of knowing what the author typically does in their writing. If I did say that I knew the author's writing style, would it really make any difference for me to still say that it's a childish premise, or does it have to be prefixed with an acknowledgment that it's typical for them?
I'll give Terry Pratchett as an example of someone who had very childish ideas, and often writing, in a number of his books. I love the Discworld series but acknowledge that there are these faults, and even some highly rated books of his don't rate very highly for me. I can express that negative opinion and should feel I can do so without being personally attacked. (and yes, even knowing what his style is).