The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Beth wrote: "How about Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates?

This is the first person narrative in the form of diary entries of a serial rapist/killer. According to Amazon's review "Joyce..."

Yes, this works! I've just added it to my TBR and interested to see what you think of it.

How about How to Make Friends with Demons by Graham Joyce ? I started reading it for another task, but as I'm reading, it occurs to me that it would fit this task. The story is told solely from the point of view of one middle-aged man. [ from a goodreads review :] "He also fronts a trio of forgers who fake antiquarian books. Heaney sells the illicit products to unsuspecting marks. At heart an altruistic philanthropist organization, his crew promptly donates all proceeds to the GoPoint Centre, a perpetually underfunded London homeless shelter. "
I'm about a fourth of the way through. So far, even though the narrator has a do-gooder day job, the novel focuses on his forgery business, interspersed with brief scenes with his ex-wife and estranged teenaged son. While our narrator feels justified in his treatment of his ex and son, an objective reader (me) considers his behavior toward them rather cruel. Our narrator is also a heavy drinker, which affects his judgement, although he doesn't appear to have crossed the line into alcoholism. He also feels justified in cheating the purchasers of his forgeries, which is villianous.

The non-villanous parts of his character are (1) donating his ill-gotten gains to a homeless shelter; and, (2) genuine caring about his cohorts in crime.

My question: is this character villianous enough for me to use How to Make Friends with Demons for this task? (And ... since I'm still reading the novel, it is possible that towards the end of the novel our narrator does something like save the world. If he does, would he still count as a villian for this task?) Thanks!!

Deedee wrote: "How about How to Make Friends with Demons by Graham Joyce ? I started reading it for another task, but as I'm reading, it occurs to me that it would fit this task. T..."

Sounds like he leans more toward antihero than villain so I'm gonna say no to this one.

Okay, so I was shelf-reading today at the library (making sure all the books were in the right order—the most exciting job at our library), and I came across I, Lucifer, which is written from the Satan's point of view.... I'm thinking that as he's the ULTIMATE bad guy, that'd work? It looks pretty entertaining!

Dionisia wrote: "Beth wrote: "How about Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates? "... Yes, this works! I've just added it to my TBR and interested to see what you think of it. ..."

I am not even sure how to review this book. I expected it to be disturbing and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations. You have to read it all in one sitting, or you will have nightmares, and even finishing it doesn't guarantee you will not have them.

The writing is sparaodic but the concept is unique. A journal of a "Dahmer-like" seriel killer who is trying to make a zombie companion and kills many in the process of perfecting this.

The most horrid element in this book, is not what he does (which is horrific) and thinks (which is even more horrific) but how it throws that up against what is happening in the "outside" world and how normal he acts and talks and the fact that to him, there is nothing wrong.

I think I will go wash my hands one more time.......