Helpful Score: 3
Palahniuk's Invisible Monsters is hilarious, but in a twisted sort of way, making you cringe at times. Definitely worth the read, but not for the faint at heart.
Helpful Score: 3
I was suprised to see this book with less than great reviews...I thought it was terrific! I couldn't put it down. Very shocking, but you have to expect that with Palahniuk going in.
Helpful Score: 1
You won't get bored reading this! This writing style is unique, much like all of Palahniuk's stuff. If you want a wierd story line, this is what you'll want to read.
Helpful Score: 1
I know a Palahuniuk book isn't your usual light and fluffy reading. It's also near-to-impossible for me to quit a book midway. I've been a fan of other CP books ("Choke," "Fight Club,") and am on the waiting list for "Snuff." Sadly though, this book just did NOT do it for me. From the way it jumped around instead of a usual chapter format to the "almost but not complete" descriptions of the way the main character's face had been destroyed... I just felt grossed out. It just didn't seem to be what I thought it'd be (though that's no fault of the author). I found it hard to keep track of who was who from the way the characters' names changed and although it's a credit to the author to write such unnerving characters, it just made me want to put the book down and pick up something more cuddly for now.
Helpful Score: 1
You either love or hate Chuck. This is one of my more favorite Palahniuk books. It's a ridiculous crazy ride with shocks, twists, and turns. If you like him, you will most likely like this one.
Helpful Score: 1
Reminded me a bit of Bret Easton Ellis. But better.
It's about a young woman (a cut-rate model) who has half her face blown off by a gunshot. In the hospital, she meets a glamorously beautiful drag queen, and with another man, they set off on a road trip involving drugs, violence and crime...
Reading it, I kept vacillating between: "oh, this is just intentionally prurient, trashy stuff!" and "oh wait, it's really commenting on a lot more than that."
So I guess it's kind of a prurient trashy novel that does have a lot to say about body image and society and all that stuff.
It' also depends on a lot of things that the reader doesn't really see coming - which makes it hard to say a lot about it!
It's about a young woman (a cut-rate model) who has half her face blown off by a gunshot. In the hospital, she meets a glamorously beautiful drag queen, and with another man, they set off on a road trip involving drugs, violence and crime...
Reading it, I kept vacillating between: "oh, this is just intentionally prurient, trashy stuff!" and "oh wait, it's really commenting on a lot more than that."
So I guess it's kind of a prurient trashy novel that does have a lot to say about body image and society and all that stuff.
It' also depends on a lot of things that the reader doesn't really see coming - which makes it hard to say a lot about it!
Helpful Score: 1
What a crazy ride on the Palahniuk express! A faceless (literally) model seeks an alternative life. Insanity ensues... There are some really funny, laugh-out-loud moments in this book that make it all worthwhile. Easily offended readers need not apply.
Helpful Score: 1
Standard fare for Palahniuk fans - for those who don't read him, his books are disturbing in the sense that they get under your skin and stay there. This book isn't an exception.
The story is written from the point of view of a young model. Her life, friends, and everything she knows revolves around her beauty. When she is in a disfiguring accident and her beauty is snatched from her, her contrived world is snatched with it. With the help of a transvestite named Brandy Alexander, she goes on a journey to learn how to become a "real" person. I dug it.
The story is written from the point of view of a young model. Her life, friends, and everything she knows revolves around her beauty. When she is in a disfiguring accident and her beauty is snatched from her, her contrived world is snatched with it. With the help of a transvestite named Brandy Alexander, she goes on a journey to learn how to become a "real" person. I dug it.
Helpful Score: 1
The teaser for this book made it sound very interesting but when I actually tried to read it, I was horribly disappointed. Palahniuk's writing style leaves much to be desired. The storyline is difficult to follow and the characters are not well flushed out. After about 50 pages, I gave up. I hope the next person who reads it can appreciate it more than I did.
I could not, for the life of me, get into this book... I've tried on multiple occasions to pick it up and start it over... but for some reason I've never gotten even half way.
This is my least favorite of all of the Palahniuk books I have read this far. The characters and the plot points seemed undeveloped. Like most of his work none of the characters have any redeeming qualities, which is up to you if that is something you like in a book or not. The only thing I did like about this book was that it was a quick read.
OMG! This book is so twisted and full of anticipation, I finished the book in 4 days!
Well I finally had to just give up on this book. It was so slow and although it may have been my fault for not trying to get through it faster, I was totally lost through much of it. I kept picking it back up and trying again and I just totally lost patience.
I honestly wasn't very interested in this book. I loved Choke, but this one didn't catch my attention as much. The last 20 pages or so were the only thing that really caught my attention. Besides that, I was pretty bored with it. I hope the rest of his novels are better.
This was an intriguing book about identity and perception. I liked how Shannon gradually learned about making assumptions based on appearances and how she learned the truth about herself and others.
not at all what i expected. invisible monsters was comical and shocking, particularly towards the close of the story, in the rather atypical ways that only palahniuk could manage. definitely worth the time, but still coming up short of choke.
this is a great book, very different but very good.
This is the first book by Palahniuk that I have ever read. It tells the story of a model who happens to suffer an accident by being shot in the face. At the hospital she meets this "woman" named Brandy Alexander. They have all sorts of crazy adventures. But the story starts at Evie Cottrell's wedding, where Evie has just shot Brandy Alexander. Brandy tells the narrator to tell her life story. It's full of jumps from one time to another (and they might disorient you), but it's a fascinating read that makes you wonder if beauty is a blessing or a curse, if beauty is something you can walk away from like everything else in life. It makes you ask yourself that question long after the final page, it's been turned. You wonder to yourself, "My life, does it amount to anything at all or is it random shit grouped together to give the appearance, the feeling of cohesiveness, of meaning and unity?" That's what a good book should do, is make you wonder whether life means anything. If you don't ask yourself that question, then the book hasn't fully impacted you the way it should have impacted you.
One of my favorites, I think that writing from a womans perscective really helped him get out of slump of bad writing.
I guess I don't "get" Palahniuk. I slugged my way through half of this book and put it down out of exhaustion.
I don't like Chuck Palahniuk's writing style. This book is a mass of hysteria.
Chuck is weird!
I think this is Palahniuk's worst book thusfar. I purchased it at a recycle bookstore and it's in good condition. I lik the cover.
A strange read. I was really annoyed that he used the word jump over, and over again. A 297 page book and jump was used 115 times...give me a break...please.
