By E. M. Foster
Up to this point, I have spent my post talking about television and film. I want to make something clear- media includes a lot more. Whether that be books, poetry, photos, newspapers, etc.. media are forms of communication that can widely influences the public. For as often a movie is watched, a book or newspaper should be picked up, too.
Now that I have finished my short soapbox rant, I want to introduce you to a novel I recently finished. Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis is a mixture of both shock and delight. This is the first contemporary fiction novel by Ellis, who is better known for his graphic novels. The cartoonish, edgy background certainly comes through in this book, particularly with absurd and over sexualized situations popping up every other page- situations that could only have happened in real life and now are being exploited in fiction for the entertainment of readers. That’s not a complaint, but a salute to a book that had my jaw dropping and my lungs hurting from laughing so much.
Based on the back cover description, I was misled into believing this was potentially a mystery adventure about a hidden part of the United States’ Constitution that could redefine American values. Yes, while that is the underlying storyline, in actuality it is about private detective Michael McGill- a guy who is constantly down on his luck and dealing with the fact that the ridiculous and the evil will eventually find him. Yet, somehow Michael survives in his fucked up life.
Overall, I give this novel top marks. It is not the most difficult read, and at times seems a little sporadic, but the writing style is sarcastic and straight-up. Ellis plays enough with the theme of ethics and morality to give the story and characters some depth. Fair warning, this is not a novel for the faint of heart or overly religious. And the prudes of the world? Don’t pick it up unless you want to be squirming in your chair the entire time. As for everyone else- read and enjoy!
Below is an Amazon link to the novel with more reviews and descriptions, and a link to Warren Ellis’ site:
http://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Little-Vein-Warren-Ellis/dp/0060723939
Photo from:
http://www.fatalrobotcosplay.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/crooked_little_vein_paperback.jpg
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