At least in my corner of the world, there used to be a trend with publishing houses to promote what I call ”trauma pornography”. They were basically competing with each other in trying to publish the most gut wrenching autobiograpy ever written. All of that left a bad taste in my mouth, and I suspect that is part of the reason I didn't read Bastard Out of Carolina until now.
Bastard is, I guess, a modern classic (first published in 1992), and rightly so. It definitely fits into the category above, it is gut wrenching and at least ”semi-autobiographical”. However, contrary to a lot of other books in the same field, Bastard is first and foremost a very well written book. Sometimes slow paced, but always with a firm grip on the reader. Gruesome, horrible and gut wrenching, yes, but it is all part of the story, which also happens to be true.
I have to confess that at times it was a bit of a struggle to get through, not because I couldn't handle the content, but because of the intensity on the pages. I simply needed some time away from the book to be able to digest what I have read, but I always wanted to go back, never to run away.
Some books are fun, some exciting, some will give you nightmares, some you'll forget, and then there are those rare books that grips, shakes, and moves you on a profound level. Bastard is one of those, and easily one of the best books I have read since, well, Full Dark No Stars.
Bastard is, I guess, a modern classic (first published in 1992), and rightly so. It definitely fits into the category above, it is gut wrenching and at least ”semi-autobiographical”. However, contrary to a lot of other books in the same field, Bastard is first and foremost a very well written book. Sometimes slow paced, but always with a firm grip on the reader. Gruesome, horrible and gut wrenching, yes, but it is all part of the story, which also happens to be true.
I have to confess that at times it was a bit of a struggle to get through, not because I couldn't handle the content, but because of the intensity on the pages. I simply needed some time away from the book to be able to digest what I have read, but I always wanted to go back, never to run away.
Some books are fun, some exciting, some will give you nightmares, some you'll forget, and then there are those rare books that grips, shakes, and moves you on a profound level. Bastard is one of those, and easily one of the best books I have read since, well, Full Dark No Stars.
