Damned

I have an ARC of the new Chuck Palahniuk book and I’m trying so, so hard to care, but I can’t make myself! I used to find him so interesting, like, at least as much as a cultural phenomenon as a writer, but I feel like in his last three novels he’s gotten his style ground down to such a fine, sharp, codified thing, that I can’t muster any feeling at all. Not even ennui or boredom! Like I picked it up and the first couple paragraphs were textbook plastic Palahniuk that made me put it down and want to hide it. I guess I will read it but it’s hard to make myself when there are so many other things that I’d rather know about. Like Ali Smith has a new book! How much more interesting is Ali Smith! Or I could even re-read Rant, which was when Chuck peaked, as far as I’m concerned.

And I am concerned pretty far, actually.