review by Angelica LeMinh
It would seem that folks have been quick to focus on the incoherent elements of the latest disease conspiracy theory offerings of Mister Palahniuk, and granted, the effort is far from flawless, but it does have some merit. Namely, an A+ for effort and foresight.
Let’s begin by contextualizing. These days, folks believe that books and libraries are on their way to becoming obsolete, powerless in the face of the internet. Time Magazine has celebrities writing their articles and the combination of Britney Spears’ bald head and Anna Nicole Smith’s death can completely outshine Black History Month, all the while passing as acceptable topics of interest in magazines that pass as “literature”. Therefore, it’s really hard out here for a writer.
So Palahniuk has chosen to write a trashy summer novel to be devoured like dogs at a chocolate factory, so what? He’s some kind of hybrid between Stephen King and Spike Lee, with a splash of ADD. He has way too many characters and goes in way too many directions (most annoyingly circular) but that’s just how he rolls.
He is the captain of his imagination station and proves that nobody can do demented better. From challenging the twisted childhood notions of the Tooth Fairy and haunted houses with abattoir accoutrements to socialized norms of women as wives and mothers (teenaged potential rape victim turned lethal cook so that folks will appreciate her efforts), hoarding gold coins and wilfully spreading rabies to eliminate a population by licking apples and being bitten by bats, Palahniuk keeps his writer/reader promise to keep the pages turning.
Love to Chuck is buying a crippled girl a car to crash and being loyal to the crazy people in his mind. Love to Rant is being able to give the same girl health advice based on being able to taste every single piece of food she’s put through her system in weeks and reading her “pussy printed” tampons. Friendship to Rant is when he tests people in his crew by how willing they are to expose themselves to bites from vermin and not telling you when he fucks your mom. Friendship to Chuck is if you read this book and come see him on his tour because you’re so damn intrigued.
The novel works in layers like the onion that Matt Damon carves in the board meeting scene of Dogma. It starts off questionably, grabs you with the life of dogs, confuses you for a hot minute, and brings in bang on historical and social commentary on SARS, AIDS, and the Tuskeegee experiments. “Rant” is an apt title, and the project, including (disappointingly) the ending, is very much like Needful Things.
Palahniuk is currently touring
North America so bake a cupcake with doll parts broken inside it and bring it to him in person! (http://www.myspace.com/chuckcult for dates)